Mountain of Memories

Yesterday I tried to load a photo of some tomatoes that produced fruit after getting no water for 3 weeks and a message appeared. Picasso full. I wondered, What the heck is a Picasso? Only to discover all the photos I've posted here on Picasso. Cool. They are all there neatly in folders. A mountain of photos, I might add. Seriously. I had no idea I've posted that many photos since this blog's inception in 2008. I found out that to continue using this blog I would now have to pay to store more photos. It's only $2.49 a month, but still, I'm pretty cheap and what could be had for free is better than spending a buck for the same thing.

So, I decided to start a new blog over on WordPress.  I'm calling it a Mountain of Memories, because I realize that's what this blog has been all about.  Memories stored, but not forgotten. I plan on posting more photos and short posts of things to treasure.  But who knows?  These blogs sometimes have a mind of their own.  Mark's vision for our future is more travel, so it could end up being a travelogue, which might be quite fun. 

Honestly, I was tempted to just quit blogging all together.  This ranch blog has been pretty dry now for a year or two, but then I heard Bertha's voice.  Bertha is this wonderful  woman in my old hometown, and every time I bump into her or chat on FB, she always says she LOVES my blog. It makes her day.  So Bertha, a big part of why I'm continuing blogging is you.  :-) 

Dan and Betty Came to Call

 Part of what we love about blogging is the community of online friends we've made.  Dan and Betty, of Dan and Betty's Place,  have been especially close because over the years we also began emailing more personal letters back and forth and Mark and I have really benefited by their prayers and wisdom. 

They emailed us quite sometime ago and asked if they could stop by the ranch for a few days on their West Coast road trip and we were more than happy to have them stay.  But it was a bit strange, because while we felt we knew them somewhat in a virtual capacity, we had never actually met them in the flesh.

Their cute little Mustang convertible next to our bunkhouse where they stayed.

Enjoying the Hot Tub

Betty and Dan at the falls

While I had a sense of Dan online, because he is the main author of their blog, I wasn't quite sure what Betty was going to be like.  Let me just tell you that she is a joy.  She has a very encouraging and bubbly personality and made conversation very easy.  She is also very courageous.  

 After we went for a horse ride she told me that it was her first trail ride since she had recovered from a very serious horse riding injury and that she had been a bit nervous, but felt like she had overcome a fear on the trail ride.  Trust me when I say she was especially brave because our horses had been running around their pen that day bucking.  I was a bit nervous myself.    Betty though is a trusting soul and got on Chica in good faith that she was a safe horse and they had a very nice ride together.  We all did.  Dan was quite the horseman and gave me a little mini lesson after the ride and I have some new things to work on too. 

We also gave them the ranch tour and fed the cattle and had lovely conversations together the whole time they were here.    They are a lovely couple and we enjoyed them and seeing the ranch and our lives through their eyes.  It was a blessing and as we continue to share our lives online, we will have a much fuller sense of who they are.  They are not just two dimensional photos and black and white text, but real people who are our friends. 

Have a great American road trip, Dan and Betty, and, hopefully, someday we will come and visit you in New Mexico.   

The Llamas

Odis, Tony and Steve

They've decided that they could pose for a photo, but if you look closely you can see that Tony has his ears back.  He is not too sure of me.  Odis, on the other hand,  came from the back side of the hill to check me out.   A few more visits, and if I remember some hay, I will be able to get him to eat out of my hand.  Steve just pretty much ignored me all together.  Most of the time he was grazing and the rest of the time he was looking off towards the sound of someone's music playing.  I would have to agree with Steve that hearing music up here is very odd as our nearest neighbors are not very near.  Occasionally it happens with a party, but Tuesday night is an odd night for a party.  Even in Humboldt. 

Steve, Odis and Tony Llama

They are elusive beasts and don't seem to want to pose for a photo, but if you squint your eyes and read my title, you can probably figure out what made that footprint from yesterday's post.


Eric and Jo found them on Craigslist for free and couldn't resist.  They hope to use them for packing and have begun halter training them, but they are still pretty skittish.  Originally they lived in Montana and were rescued there from poor living conditions to sunny California.  The cows have adjusted to their strange looks, but the horses still don't know what to think of them. When the trio walks by the horses gather together with all their heads raised up with their hooves ready to fly. 

Very Unusual

 The sunsets have been very unusual of late, due to the drift smoke from fires in Northern California.  Unhealthy air advisories are in effect on the days with  the worst smoke. 

I've also found some very unusual footprints on the ranch roads.  I think a new creature has arrived.  Any guesses?