We're Home...

The donkeys ran up to the road to greet us as the wild turkeys streamed into the woods and one lone grouse hen pecked along with apparently no worries of the car that drove by.  It's good to be home.

It's been a  month of gorgeous scenery, exercise,  family,  friends, smoke and sadness. 

My mom died.  She had a fall that caused a cerebral bleed. It was really a gift that set her free from Alzheimer disease.  We were blessed to be with her at the end of her life.  She couldn't talk, but she smiled and she held my hand. 

We wouldn't have been there either if it hadn't been for the smoke and ash that fell relentless from the sky from the Rim Fire. It smoked us out.  You couldn't breath very well and the ash burned your eyes.   We  exited about 70 miles short of our destination.  

Now we are home with many jobs to do.  A few calves have just recently been born and the bulls need to be found and brought in until all the cows have their calves. It helps bunch up the calving.  We haven't cut our firewood yet, so that's on the list too. Four cords worth.   Tonight we had a nice juicy steak with corn, tomatoes, cucumbers, green beans, potatoes and squash from the garden.  I think we might have gotten a little carried away with the vegetables, but they were so good.  Tomorrow I will pick some apples and make a pie.  We were surprised to have any fruit left, with the bear leaving us his calling card and all, but he didn't come in our yard at all, only ate all the  fruit off the trees outside our yard.  Seems like a fair deal to us.  Small miracle indeed. 

One of the photos from our hike.  More to come.....