Random Happenings

Spence loves music.  Listening to it, playing it, everything about it.  Here's he and BJ practicing a little guitar and bass down in the tack shed. 

 

 

 

I didn't get down to take pictures until they were almost finished and Trey was already done.  He plays guitar and sings. And he loves it when I take random pictures of him doing nothing. :)

Monday was a beautiful day.  Hayes worked with Spence then relaxed on Rosie. Nothing like a boy and his dog. 

 

The horses get their baths after being ridden.

 

BB Gun and Socks after their makeovers.

 

Hayes is still relaxing with Rosie.

Later that day, we went to Grandma and Grandpa Jackson's for the St. Patrick's Day festivities.  There was a treasure hunt for a pot of gold and we ate the traditional corned beef and cabbage. It was delicious.

Chase and his Daddy.

All the kids took a turn kissing the Blarney Stone (we had it shipped from Ireland :)

Hayes loves to climb trees.

As high as he can possibly go.  Good thing he only weighs 50 lbs. 

 

My beautiful Mama, Tere Babe.  I made her pose.

Over the weekend, Hayes went with my parents to Utah, so Chase enjoyed a little only-child time with us.  He also enjoyed control of the TV!

The end of the random happenings.

"I Love You Arizona"

One year for my mom's family reunion in UT (when we were kids), Marcie and I learned and sang the song "I love you Arizona" for the talent show.  It's our alternate state song by the way.  I didn't know that until I looked it up. I hear it in my head on days when the wind is fairly calm and the sky looks like this. I've always wondered why Montana got dibs on being called "Big Sky Country";  I think we could give them a run for their money. (Probably because they were a state long 20 years before we were even a twinkle in William Howard Taft's eye.  By the way, did you know that Pres. Taft  wouldn't sign our statehood bill until we took the provision of judicial recall out of our constitution (he let the "radical" provisions of initiative and referendum slide).  Then once we were admitted to the union, we put it right back in. Way to go Arizona.  We're fighters.) 

 

My Handsome and Talented Nephew

After the branding yesterday, we raced in to Cade's baseball game.  He was catching for most of the game, but he pitched the last inning which finally gave me a photo op.  I can't believe this is the same kid who used to dance naked on the table and call  himself Elmo...OK, he was only 1 or 2 years old at the time!  Now that I've thoroughly embarrassed him, I'm going to have to get to one of Syd's games and rack my brain for some good stuff on her.  :)

Boots, buckles and spurs

You're probably all getting sick of branding photos, but that's all I've got. It's my favorite thing to take pictures of.  During the past week or so of clean-up branding, Hayes has been begging me everyday to go to work with Spence instead of doing school.  This morning, he got up early and did all of his school work before breakfast so that he could go with Spence.  He's turning into a good little helper.  Now if we can just get him another horse, he'll be in heaven. 

Kris brought out Parker to join in the fun (Hayes only asked about 20 times when he was going to come).  Those two make up a pretty motley crew.  I had to get a picture of their boots.

 

Uncle Kelly Young on Cowgirl

Spence reaching for a branding iron while the boys wait to help JC

Hayes getting a hot iron for his daddy

The smoke swirled up and seemed to be coming off Spence

Spence getting ready to rope

Parker looks on

Spence on Bonita.  Kelly and JC on the ground.

Trey looking back at his catch.

Aerial view of JC and Kelly (actually from me perched on the fence)

Spence waits to let the calf go

Into the fire

 

Trey roping on his horse he calls Lefty and we call Tater Salad

 

JC spotting the last few unbranded calves

KMY- Kelly's boots and spurs (I don't know what the M stands for) (every good cowboy HAS to own a pair of spurs with their initials on them! :)

Once again, Hayes and Parker off into the sunset.  Actually we've got to hurry and get to Cade's baseball game in town.  Get in the truck boys!

Don't do it, Dorothy!

You may be wondering about the title of my post, but after watching the movie Australia this week, the Wizard of Oz theme has been on my mind.  Why oh why Dorothy wanted to head back to Kansas where the wind blew hard enough to pick up her house I will never understand.  She should have clicked those red shoes and headed for the Bahamas or Tahiti.  If I were in the Bahamas instead of St. Johns right now, I would burn my red shoes and never look back. :)

After listening to the wind blow my windows, doors and objects on my porch all day long, I was forced to venture out to pick up Chase and go to the store.  This is what I saw when I stepped out on my porch: It's all of the topsoil blowing off of the fields below our house. 

I have vivid memories of hearing the wind as a child blowing through our living room windows.  It almost sounded like a moan...or maybe that is me actually moaning because I wish that sound would go away. :) I didn't play spring sports growing up because I didn't want to have to practice or play in the wind.  I remember being dropped off at the top of our hill by the bus and stretching out my arms and leaning into the wind and having it actually hold me up.  These are not fond memories.

I was wondering how you can photograph the wind.  You have to have objects in the wind to have a chance.  Luckily we have a plethora of dirt in the air when the wind blows, so it makes the task somewhat simpler. 

 

When I got to Wilburs, I made the big mistake of getting out.  Dirt was swirling in the parking lot and it all ended up in my car.  This normally would not have been too big of a deal, but I had just spent HOURS detailing the inside to get it ready to sell.  The doors were only open for seconds, but it blew dirt onto everything inside. When I got into the store, there was piles of dirt on the floor and there was a tumbleweed in the cart I got.  While I was waiting to pay, I ran my finger across my cheek and felt a nice grainy film.  I knew I shouldn't do it, but I then put my finger in my ear and found a layer of dirt there too.  Of course I had just showered before I left my house. 

This is what I saw as I pulled onto the street above my mom's house: Can you see all of the dirt in the air?? Luckily Spence and I had taken the net down from our trampoline so it was still in our front yard when I got home.

At Circle K to get gas, the computers were crashing due to the wind.  This ended up being a good thing for me since everyone in line left and I was able to move to the front and only had to wait a couple of minutes for them to reboot.  I finally got smart and put on my hood while I got gas (to save my ear canals), but another layer of dirt blew into my car when I was forced to open the door to get in and out. 

Here's the drive back home. 

So to all of you fellow St. Johnsians whose nerves are shot and scalps are dirty, just remember, somewhere over the rainbow there's a land without wind.  Click your heels and see if you can get there.   "If happy little bluebirds fly, Beyond the rainbow, Why, oh why can't I?"

I'm trying to decide which of the following pictures I should use for my Christmas card this year.  You may think I'm joking, but I assure you I am not! Put your votes in now. It will have some corny caption like "Blowing Christmas Wishes Your Way". :) Being born and raised in St. Johns, I can't think of a more appropriate way to usher in the season.