Friday, August 6, 2010

The 'New' Toy

We bought a travel trailer last weekend!

Trailer side


It's an old 1971, and needs a little bit of work, but for $500 it was a good buy.

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The girls have been hanging out in it, doing projects and puzzles and math worksheets...


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And Charissa is begging to have it for her own 'house'. She's tired of sharing a room with a sister, LOL.

Thursday, August 5, 2010

Morning Drive

Charissa and I took a nice morning drive to the lake on Monday morning. Lake Tahoe, that is--around here, that's usually what people mean when they say "The Lake." Of course there's lots of other lakes around, but, anyway...

Charissa was on her way to a 5 day backpacking camp, which was unfortunately cancelled at the last minute, but since I didn't bring my cell phone, we didn't know until we arrived at the meeting place.

It was a beautiful morning--the lake was gorgeous, as always, and I'm glad we were able to take the drive.

Here's a couple of lake pictures:

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I drove past the best picture taking spots before I thought of stopping, but oh well!

Here's the disappointed backpacker:

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That was supposed to be a shot of "Contemplative Charissa" but she saw me coming and it turned into "Charissa Trying Not to Smile."

And then she lost it altogether:

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Isn't she a cutie!

This series was really messed up, with too much background light. But I played with the editing tools, and came up with this:

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She wasn't too upset about missing her camp--she was thankful to be able to go home and go back to bed!

Monday, July 12, 2010

Chick Surprise

Well, I didn't expect to find this today!


closeup


The little black hen was getting so beat up by the others that I stuck her in a little 'safe house' to recover. She insists on laying her eggs in the far back corner--where they're nearly impossible to get out--so I haven't been collecting them.

And this morning there she was with her little brood:


Black Hen's chicks


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Black Hen's Chicks


Black Hen's chicks

Sunday, July 11, 2010

Ducks! 3 days old.....

Splashing in their water dish.

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Mom needs a drink, too.

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Time for a walk.

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Saturday, July 10, 2010

Carson City Rendevous

The kids and I went to the annual Rendevous last month--except for Charissa, who's been very 'teenagerish' recently, and prefers to do her own thing. :)

We got a little peek at the civil war...

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And saw the Union and Confederate headquarters:


Union Headquarters

Confederate Headquarters


And even got a picture with President Lincoln and General Lee. You can only see me, Robin, Josh, and Katie. The twins got shy and are hiding behind.


Lee and Lincoln


After the War, we headed out to the Wild West....


Stagecoach


... where we found our friends, Tom and Mary Kay, making some music. They play folk music at Borders Books here in town, on the 2nd Thursday each month, from 6:30 to 8pm. We're usually there. You can sample their music here.


Tom and MaryKay


Unfortunately, the fun was interrupted by a gunfight....





Luckily, no bystanders were injured, and the ladies sucessfully defended their town.


Ladies Win


A trip to the General Store for treats finished off our day ...


General Store

Saturday, January 2, 2010

Happy New Year!

A Scottish Blessing

May the blessing of light be on you, light without and light within.

May the blessed sunlight shine on you like a great peat fire, so that stranger and friend may come and warm himself at it.

And may light shine out of the two eyes of you, like a candle set in the window of a house, bidding the wanderer come in out of the storm.

And may the blessing of the rain be on you, may it beat upon your Spirit and wash it fair and clean, and leave there a shining pool where the blue of Heaven shines, and sometimes a star.

And may the blessing of the earth be on you, soft under your feet as you pass along the roads, soft under you as you lie out on it, tired at the end of day; and may it rest easy over you when, at last, you lie out under it.

May it rest so lightly over you that your soul may be out from under it quickly; up and off and on its way to God.

And now may the Lord bless you, and bless you kindly.
Amen.

Monday, December 21, 2009

Superman's blanket

I just had this conversation with Josh yesterday. (he's 2 and 9 months)

Him: Can I watch a movie?
Me: Yes, do you want to watch Superman?
Him: No! I don't like 'uperman.
Me: You don't?! Why not?
Him: I don't like his blanket.
Me: [thinking...blanket?! what blanket? ohhh--the cape!] You mean you don't think a big man should carry his blanket around all the time?
Him: Yeah.