Life on the High Plains

Last week was very special.  We got to hang out with BOTH of our grandkids without any parents around.  We went to Phoenix where it was hot and I mean REALLY hot.  We're talking 115-118 degrees.  What do you do when it's that hot?  Hang out in the pool. When it cooled down to about 105 we headed to Top Golf.  Have you ever been there?  It's a driving range where you get points for which hole you make it in.  Plus they have lounge areas to wait in until it's your turn.   Plus they have wait staff who bring food and drinks right to you. Irv was the big winner of the night especially since none of the rest of us know how to golf.     We spent an afternoon at the Phoenix Aquarium which was very nice and very cool.  Miss G loved the fish.  I think she liked fish because it sounds like Shhh.  In G talk, Shhh means she wants a snack.     Mr. Beans was a good sport and I think ...

It's true.  My sweet "little" nephew is gradating from high school and turning 18 too! How is this possible? I clearly remember being on the golf course in Madison, Wisconsin on May 28, 1998 when we got the news that our nephew had arrived. And now's he's done with high school and moving onto the next stage of his life.  I can't wait to see what lies ahead for him.  I hope he remains involved in the arts.  Having a nephew who sings and acts makes my heart happy. Logan, did you know you're already a star? Everywhere I go I see you name in lights. Or on bridges. We're so proud of you.  Congrats!  Enjoy your day!

We're on our way to Tulsa to celebrate a very special young man.  Not only is he graduating from high school tomorrow, he's turning 18 on Saturday.  More about all that later. Today we got quite a show in the sky.  We were headed east on I-70 and were treated to one of the most beautiful cloud formations I have ever seen. On the eastern side of this storm there was apparently a huge tornado that stayed on the ground for over an hour.   Luckily we reached our destination for the night and didn't have to continue eastward.  Last we heard there were 20 houses destroyed, but no reports of injuries yet. During the drive here tonight I received news that a very dear friend, a woman I greatly admired and respected passed away unexpectedly this morning.  She was a woman of God so I know she's at peace in Heaven after living a long life.  This picture lets me know that there is a celebration in heaven tonight. Barb, this Skywatch Friday i...

Last week my sweet hubbie asked me if I wanted to go look at RVs over the weekend. Heck yes!  I grew up vacationing in a travel trailer and loved it!  I love camping, but I'm married to a man who doesn't love camping so him asking me if I wanted to go look at RVs is a huge step. Requirement #1 - is has to have space for grandkids who might want to come along.  Of course it had to have a bathroom with a shower and a sink. This particular camper that we settled on has a huge sink, microwave, and a three burner stove in addition to a table and benches.   I also did not want one with a bed that could not be folded up and put away during the day.  We found a camper with this Murphy bed that folds down.  It has a beautiful leather interior, it's light enough for our truck to pull, it's not too large.  It's perfect.   I still don't think Irv is totally convinced.  While he's "thinking about it" I'll just try t...

Home, home on the range. Where the deer horses and the antelope play. I wonder what else goes on in the pasture when I'm not home.  I wonder if the herd of whitetail deer ever stop by for a visit. Do you see that green grass out there?  That's unusual this early in the year.  I guess our never ending winter with all the snow might have been worth it.

Could spring finally have arrived in the Rockies? The trees finally have leaves. The grass is turning green. There are blossoms on the lilac bushes.  They've had a really rough time this spring with not one, not two, but three late season blizzards with below freezing temperature.  I'm surprised that we got any blooms this year. A couple robins thought the lilac bush was the perfect place to build their nest.  Maybe we'll have babies soon! Most importantly, I got our Adirondack chairs out of storage so we can sit in them, drink a glass of wine and enjoy our view of Pikes Peak. Spring is in the air!  Happy Skywatch Friday!

I learned a lesson about not checking the weather forecast before heading out to a 5K this past weekend.  It's the middle of May, the weather should be nice wouldn't you think?  I did manage to throw my running gloves in the car because when I went out to feed the horses that morning I noticed a chill in the air. On the drive to the zoo I noticed my car was displaying the cold outside temperature warning which comes on when it's below 37 degrees. Then it was time to stand in line to pick up the race packets.  I am talking cold.   Bone chilling cold combined with drizzle and wind.   I had planned to shed my outermost layer, but instead I put on the race t-shirt and left all my layers on.  Why did I choose capri length running pants instead of long pants?  Shiloh had planned to run in shorts and a tank top.  At least I was a little better prepared than he was. There were lots of people to huddle with at the start line. This is the s...