Pictures as promised

 Duh! I didn't realize I had my telephoto lens on so that's why I couldn't get a wider shot of the rainbow.

 Of course this doesn't do it justice but it was so pretty.....take my word for it.

 I suppose I could have enhanced it with Picasa but didn't think about it in time. If you want a great program to download your pictures, download Picasa. It's free, it's easy and you can clean up, crop, enhance, change colors, etc with this program.

 Did I mention Picasa was free?

 What beauty God creates~

 I made these cute boxes at the Stampin Up class. I really enjoy this monthly outing.

 Two greeting cards. The Stampin Up rep has 4 tables set up and everything in an envelope for us to create with. She has the stamps, punches, inks, pens, just everything we need. That lace punch was a challenge to use. You had to stand up and really put some pressure on it.

 We learned how to use a template and sponges to make the circles and then stamped leaves on top. So pretty!

We made these calendars. Had to stamp trees on 8 top note die cuts, (4 for each calendar) , then we stamped leaves, birds, flowers, snowflakes on each tree, then a sentiment and then glued everything together. The calendar folds different ways to show each three month segment. Fun, fun, fun!!
Pa says it is starting to clear up. I hope so cause I have to run into Saint Johns tomorrow to get the mail and some ice so Pa can make home made vanilla ice cream for Thanksgiving.

Just a quick comment

Who ever predicts the weather here has no clue what they are doing. It was supposed to rain, not supposed to rain, supposed to rain, not supposed to rain, blah, blah, blah. 20 % chance of rain today, blah, blah, blah. It's raining pretty hard now for the first time in awhile. Even NOAA can't get it right!!!!
Just before it rained I looked out the guest bedroom window and it was so black over Saint Johns but there was the most beautiful rainbow. It went from halfway to Saint Johns all the way to Holly St at the ranch. I don't have a wide angle lens so couldn't capture the whole thing. Will post it after I get dressed.
In yesterday's post, I forgot to mention how thankful I am for my old friends! Sorry, I didn't mean to leave you out when I mentioned my new friends. Gosh, you have stuck by me thru thick and thin. My friend Becky in Illinois has been my friend for 40 years or so. She has seen me at my best and worse and still loves me. Thank you Lord, for my old friends too!

A week of wildlife

 It's been quite a week for wild life. We had this Scrub Blue Jay visiting, helping himself/herself to the bird bath and some bread I threw out for the birds. There are two of them hanging around, actually. This is the first we have seen Blue Jays. Once in a while we got a quick peek at Mountain Blue Birds but they tend to hang out a couple miles away on one of the main roads at the ranch.

 Sorry for the lousy picture, I was using my telephoto lens and taking the picture thru the window...and you know how clean I keep my windows!

 Then we had a flock of these cuties. I will have to look them up to see what exactly they are, Chickadees? Once again, thru a window.

 Then there was this interesting fella.

 Yep, a tarantula! Seems late for them to be wandering around since we have had freezing temps over night.

I tried to get him to walk up on my gloved hand but all he did was raise his front legs and his hairy butt in the air. Did you know that they can throw those hairs at you?
One late afternoon as we sat at the kitchen table, I saw a coyote in our back yard. Of course I didn't have my camera handy. He was looking for a rabbit. He didn't find it and left and shortly after, the bunny came hopping out, lucky to live another day. One morning we saw a rabbit in the garden. I left the gate open since there was nothing in there. So I snuck out and locked him in and then let the dogs in to chase it. Once they cornered it, all they did was lick it. I left it out there alive but when I checked on it later, it had died, probably of fright. Never one to waste anything, I took it over to Tom's to see if he would let his dog Max have it to play with. It was so funny...Max carried that thing around for awhile, then settled down, started at the nose and proceeded to eat it.
Let's see, oh, we borrowed Tom's rototiller and left the ramps on the truck over night and in the morning, Pa said a rabbit had gone up the ramp into the back of the truck. Rabbits are every where this winter. Drives the dogs nuts. Harley was running from window to window barking his head off following the rabbits. I dug up my shallots, garlic and onions while Pa was rototilling, planning on replanting them when he was done. The rabbits came up on the porch and ate the tops off all the onions, garlic and shallots. Bet they won't be kissing anyone with onion breath. I replanted the bulbs, don't know if they will survive the winter but they weren't big enough to do anything with anyway. Pa and I went to our favorite pile of horse poo and got a truck load to work into the garden so it can sit and stew all winter. We've been putting the ashes from the wood stove in there also.
Yesterday, I picked up my friend Katie in Holbrook and we went to the Stampin Up class. We made two Santa boxes, two calendars, and four greeting cards. I'll post those pictures later. Even tho it is pretty far away, it's good to get off the ranch for a day and be around other women who have similar interests. It's a pretty good deal for $10.00.
Due to Provo Craft being butt heads, not allowing third party software to be used with their Cricut cutting machine, those of us who own one are in the process of replacing our machines with some other brand that not only allows third party software but encourages it. Katie just got a Silhouette Cameo. Boy oh boy, is it nice! It can cut more intricate cuts and you can print out a picture and the Cameo will cut around the image perfectly. As far as we can tell, it can't cut chip board but it has a little window where you can click on the type of cardstock you are using and it tells you where to adjust your cutting depth. I was thinking of getting a Black Cat Lynx but they are very expensive and all the parts you need like cutting blades and cutting mats are VERY expensive so now I am leaning toward a Cameo. I wrote to Provo Craft and told them I will no longer support/buy their products . I got a form letter in reply so to heck with them!!!! They sued the two companies who made third party software so they no longer can use their product for the Cricut. Luckily, as long as I don't upgrade my Cricut, I can use the old software. Gosh, I use the thing almost every day and would really miss not being able to make my own cutting files. I have a few Cricut cartridges to use with my machine but they are so limiting, who wouldn't want to make their own files? Lots cheaper also.
Hard to believe Thanksgiving is right around the corner. Where has this year gone? We've been here a year already, can you believe it? This time last year (within a day or two) we were living in the motor home. Now we are happily ensconced in our new home, snug as a bug in a rug.
I forgot to mention that Tilly caught a mouse in the house the other day. Who needs a cat? Tilly is a great hunter. She even goes after birds and caught a dove a few months ago. I wasn't aware Miniature Schnauzers were bird dogs, but there ya go.
One of Pa's friends from Vegas will be here the day after Thanksgiving. He won't be staying with us but will be in Alpine, elk hunting. Pa might stomp around the woods with him one day and his friend will stop by to see our place. Hopefully with an elk haunch for our freezer.
Hope you all have a Happy Thanksgiving and remember to thank the Lord for all his blessings this past year. I'm so thankful that He got our house sold so we could move to the ranch, I'm thankful for the new friends I've made since being here and for the love of my family. THANK YOU!

Life plods on

 Last Sunday, I canned the tomatoes I had in the freezer. I canned 7 quarts of stewed tomatoes which consisted of celery, onions, tomatoes and green peppers. After the tomatoes defrosted, I had to pour off some of the water but that didn't hurt the stewed tomatoes any. Oh my gosh, don't those look pretty? Not too bad for using a makeshift water bath canner. I can only do 4 jars at a time and they cook for 50 minutes. Next year, I want both a water bath canner and a pressure canner.

 We got a smattering of snow this past week. I am so in the mood for Christmas!!!!! But I have to get past Thanksgiving and cooking for 8 people. I'm intimated already! Pa and I went grocery shopping in Show Low on Wednesday and got all the stuff for Thanksgiving. We have such a small fridge that we will have to fire up the fridge in the motor home for Thanksgiving. I absolutely hate my fridge. It is one of those side by side ones and the veggie bin is about the size of a bread basket. I am a big veggie eater and need more room for produce as I can't run to town every other day to buy fresh produce.

 Doesn't this put you in a Christmas mood? My friend Katie is trading cutting files with me. I met her in Saint Johns for a soda on Thursday and we exchanged DVD's with digital papers and cut files. We went to the pharmacy to look around. From the outside, it looks tiny but once you get inside it is huge! They have all sorts of interesting things to look at and buy. They even have a craft section (how did I ever miss that?) , a sewing section with mini bolts of fabric, gift ware and all sorts of goodies. This was the first time I had been in there since moving here.,

 What can I say. Once I left Illinois, I swore I would never look at snow again. In the 30 years I lived in Vegas, I went to Mount Charleston once in the winter. Now I love looking at the snow. It must have something to do with the fact that I don't have to go out in it. I did survive the winter of 1978 in Illinois where I was stuck in my driveway for a month. The snow was unbelievable that year.

 Here's Jaz in her favorite position. I should get a treadmill and make the dogs run on it every day. We won't mention that I should also!

We had our first Blue Jay visit. Before I could get a good picture, he flew away....darn it. This is the first one I've seen in Arizona. We did have a couple of Robins fly thru this fall on their way to who knows where.
I've been plagued with sinus headaches for the past few days. Now that it is kind of rainy, the headache is finally gone. I  had to put menthol patches on my forehead and temples to get any relief.  Sure glad no one came to the door, they would have thought I was weird! Sinus tabs or asprin did no good except to upset my stomach.
Pa made a wood box to put by the stove. It's only 8 inches tall and maybe 4 feet long. I thought he was going to make a tall box to hold a lot of wood but he said this would hold enough. Funny how our visions differ. He also made an insulated box to put around the batteries in the battery shed to help keep them warm. Eventually he will make a regular battery warmer. They run more efficiently if they are kept warm. Hmmm, why does he put little batteries in the fridge to keep them cold?
On Friday, I ran into town to see "the biggest craft show in the White Mountains" Ok, you could see the whole thing in 20 minutes. I bought two barbed wire candy canes for the Christmas tree. There were no paper crafts so maybe next year, my friend Katie and I can make some things to sell.
I had the nicest surprise. Remember Pam and Bob from Sierra Highlands ranch who came for a visit? She sent me a box of her home made soaps. She  makes them from scratch using goats milk as the base. What heavenly smells come from her soaps! Right now I'm using the Coconut one. Makes your skin so soft and yummy. I can hardly wait for them to sell their house in Cali and move out here. Between Pam, Katie and I, we should come up with some spectacular crafts in the future.
It is supposed to rain today, We've had some sprinkles and heavy cloud cover. I hope it is nice on Saturday. I'm headed to Holbrook for another Stampin Up class. Until then.............

Snow!

 Anyone know what kind of grain this is? I thought it might be barley but I looked up pictures of barley and this ain't it! I had this one lonely grain  pop up in the garden and couldn't figure out where it came from. My gardner friend, Tom was perplexed also. Then he was wandering around his property and discovered the same thing near his garden, growing next to a bale of straw. He had maybe a dozen stalks. So we now know it came from our bales of straw but still don't know what it is.

 Last night when I went to bed, the wind was howling like a banshee. Woke up later to hear rain pounding on the roof and woke up this morning to snow! Not much but it sure puts me in the mood for Christmas.

 It was still pretty dark out when I took the pictures.

 Isn't it pretty? While living in Vegas, I only had one type of clothing which one could wear all year round with maybe a sweater or light jacket in the winter. Here you have to have two wardrobes, hot and cold gear. Sometimes I start out with a thermal shirt on and have to change to a short sleeve t-shirt later in the day and back to the thermal shirt in the evening. Yesterday we had a fire in the stove and it got so hot in the house, you could have baked cookies on the dining room table. I had to use my fan in the craft room!

 My curly grass probably won't survive the winter. I've already brought in my geraniums and don't have room for any other plants in the house.

 My buddy, Katie sent me a file to make this "wooden" crate. I worked on it yesterday. When I saw the one she made, I thought it was made of real wood even after holding it in my hand!

I also made this basket. It is made with wood veneer which I can cut with my Cricut machine. I messed it up but managed to save it in the end. I've finished the hard part of my grand daughters Christmas present and will work on the rest of it today. Might be a good day to do some baking also. Maybe chocolate chip cookies?

An Ode to Miss Kitty

 "Love to eat them mousies,
Mousies what I love to eat.
Bite they little heads off,
Nibble on they tiny feet"
by Kliban
Pa found what was left of Miss Kitty not too far from the house. There was just a digested ball of fur. So now we know a coyote got her because it was next to a coyote poo. I hope her tick and flea collar gave it a big belly ache. I almost would have preferred just thinking that a coyote got her, not that it actually happened that way. She was a good cat, more like a dog. I'll miss going on walks with her. Rest in peace, Miss Kitty.

 Here are the jars of stewed tomatoes  I made. Aren't they pretty? I froze a few more today and have less than a dozen green ones left.....Thank God!

 Here's Tilly. I thought this picture was so cute because she jumps on a table I left by the window just for her. She loves to look out side and rests her chin on the window sill while she is gazing around. Scouting for rabbits, no doubt.

 Here's our snake. Not the usual big one, this must be junior. Getting some last of the sun and warmth before winter sets in.

 Pa was poking at him so I could get a picture and he didn't like that one bit. He tried his best to hide in this tiny hole.

 He doesn't understand that we like him. At least until we get chickens. We may have a few words then. Daisy Mae couldn't figure out when she wasn't getting many eggs from her chickens until our neighbor Tom saw a raven fly out of her chicken house with an entire egg in it's bill.

 This is Jaz doing her favorite thing. She loves being covered with a blanket. I think she would have been a great child's dog who got dressed up in clothes. She's so patient.

 Well, don't over do it Jaz!

 Here's Maggie, doing her favorite thing. Don't these dogs ever work?

On Saturday, I went to Holbrook to meet my friend Katie. We went 7 or so miles on to Joseph City to a Stampin Up class. It ran from 1 to 4 pm. and we made two of each card. I had a great time and learned something new. I'm going to talk to the sales lady and see if she would do classes in Saint Johns. But I am willing to go back to Joseph City again.
OH! my one broccoli plant is putting out little shoots of broccoli . It doesn't seem to bother it getting frosted each night. It was 32 this morning so we had a little fire going in the wood stove. The house heats up pretty quick when the sun comes out so it doesn't take long to open a door or window.
Guess that catches us up for now!Stay tuned......

Hunkering down for the winter

Sunday and Monday of this week was sunny and clear and warm. Clouds and wind came in on Tuesday with some sprinkles. It has been raining off and on ever since. Pa has had to run the big generator every morning for an hour or so to charge up our battery bank. Now he is making me turn off my computer and printer every night. I almost didn't remember my pass word when I turned it back on!!!! I know it is good for the computer to reboot but I seldom do it.
With the weather being what it is, Pa has been reorganizing the semi trailer looking for various things. A good project for rainy, windy weather. He did find a box of books I've been pining for that we packed up 6 years ago. It's like Christmas morning when we find something we forgot we had. Since we replaced various things over the past 6 years, we should take our duplicates to the thrift store. Pa has a hard time letting go of things but he said he had a "few" things he could donate.
I've spent the past three days in my craft room working on a Christmas project for my grand daughter. I've run out of ink in my printer and don't want to go clear to Show Low to get a replacement cartridge. I need to get a printer where I can refill the cartridges myself. I used to do that when my Canon printer was working. Every year, I had to replace the print head which runs $80.00 but refilling the cartridges was cheap. I still have the Canon and am rethinking buying a new print head. What to do.......what to do!  HP has fixed their cartridges so it is next to impossible to refill them. I have had some success with the black one but the color one? Forget it! and that is the one I need to replace.
Remember the Desert Spiderwort plants I dug up and replanted in front of the house? The rabbits left them alone all summer but now have eaten them down to the ground. Guess they need to fatten themselves up for the winter. Around here you need to fence everything in with at least 2 feet high of fencing to keep the varmits out. But who wants fencing everywhere? I have milk crates protecting my lilac bushes from hungry teeth. In spite of their appetite, I still love watching the bunnies frolic in the yard. One of our resident snakes was outside yesterday morning. There was a few minutes of sun he wanted to take advantage of. I took some pictures and will post them next time. Until then!........