Pretty Picture Monday

For all my blogging friends in the snow.

Sunday Stills, Pets

This weeks challenge is pets, meet Cubby,

"Starr's Blue Carter" aka "Ranch Dag"

She's a Blue Merle, Australian Shepperd.

Cubby came to be a part of our family in in June of

2007 ,we got her from Cheri Carter out in Bangor.

We love her, our dogs have always been out

side animals, but Cub has full run of every thing

including the house. Oh My God, The Hair!

We breed her last February to a Black Tri Aussie

and she had 8 little fat pups. I plan on breeding

her again in 2011 and that will be the last.

She rides in the truck with JS, has coffee in the

morning with us and keeps the yard cleared of

everything and hangs with me in the orchard.

She's the best dog I've every had,Cubs a lot of

company and puts a smile on my face everyday.

Thursday's Thoughts ???

I fore got Thursday's Thoughts yesterday!

The way my mine was working,

it was probably just better for everyone.

Sheep Setting

I'm sheep setting, my mom and her good friends are all

down in Monterey at the Cowboy Festival. They go every

year to hear Cowboy Poetry and Cowboy Music, not to

be confused with Country and Western Music.

"Not the Same"

This year they have really hit the jack-pot.

Ian Tyson, R.W. Hampton, Juni Fisher,

Dave Stamey (my favorite) and Wylie.

Their also going to make a visit to the

Monterey Bay Aquarium.

"What a fun Trip"

Mom has a real nice ban of registered Suffix sheep.

Her and her lady friends, who also raise sheep have

gotten some great rams out of Idaho from Donna May.

They may not look it in the picture, but their big!

Here's a couple of the lambs.

The willow trees are really growing and isn't the color nice.

Mom was born a ranchers daughter. ( Rancher, Farmer,

Dairymen) She could cowboy with the best of them and

was always my Granddad and Dads right hand man.

When I was little, I spent a lot of time behind her in the

saddle. From sun up to sun down. Mon is 75 the last

time she road was just a few years ago, with her brother

Ed. She had to use a step to get on. Ed asked if she could

get off OK?

Mon replied "Hell that's easy I can just fall off"

"She hasn't been on a horse since."

She can grow anything, always has a big veggie garden,

beautiful flowers, look at this persimmon tree.

And Roses

It's the middle of December and their still blooming?

The dogs at the Vets, so it's just me, sheep, the cats

and mud!

"The Tree Hunt"

Last weekend as you know we met with friends and the

kids to hunt for Christmas Trees. We took off Friday

afternoon and road the snowmobiles in, it was raining,

but not bad. Chris and Glenda came up later that night

and we had dinner together. "Hot Dogs and Chilly Beans"

Their cabin is just before ours on the same road.

Saturday we got to sheep in "It was wonderful"

JS took the sled and packed the trail around the cabin,

to make it easier to get around.

I took these pictures of the out side to give you an

idea of the snow, about 4 ft.

Like the steps JS cut in with the shovel.

That's my ride, "Big 800"

Only Daughter Dawn and

Perfect Son-In-Law Cory came up for the day

"ON THE HUNT"

JS took off on a trail, ???( it's a man thing), so while we

were waiting for him Chris bagged this bad boy.

You might notice that Chris likes the camera!

Later in the day Dawn and Cory had to go home.

We went with them back to the staging area and

helped them get loaded up.

After the kids left Glenda, Chris, JS and I

went for refreshments.

We went back to the cabins, the guys took off on a cross

country tree hunt.

Glenda, Bonnie and I stayed to fix dinner and stoke the

fire. We had a great evening with them.

Sunday we packed up and (drained the water lines !)

headed to town to go home.

While we were loading, I had a nice surprise, my two

cousins Lloyd and Dennis and their families had

come to La Porte to play in the snow and fine

Christmas Trees.

L to R Bobby, Angel, Kenny, Abby and Lora

Pretty Picture Monday

Time Change

And you thought the time change bothered you ?

These orange blossoms are about, 4 months early.

JS and I are headed to the mountains later today,

to cut Christmas Trees with the kids this weekend.

I'll take lots of picture and talk to you later.

"HAVE A GREAT WEEKEND"

Thursday's Thoughts

"California is a fine place to live,

if you happen to be an orange."

Fred Allen

OH NO !

If you recall this is how November started,

with the wood stove all turn apart.

JS worked and got it all back together.

This is how December is starting.

Oh, should there be parts left over ?

Pretty Picture Monday

Sunday Stills, Self Pics

The challenge this week is to see the blogger behind

the blog. I like this challenge about as much as

the billboards. So here's my best shot of "Me".

Cabin Undate

La Porte Store

I thought I'd give you a little update on JS and Chris's

"Adventure In Winter Wonderland"

Of course it was snowing the entire trip.

(If they would have gone Friday or today

the sun is shining?)

The snow was about 4 to 5 feet deep and soft, but they

got to the cabins just fine. Both are good riders.

They went to our cabin first, no broken pipes and

every thing drained out good. Then to Chris's to put

the shutters up. Of course they couldn't pass up

going for a ride in all that new snow.

JS took the pictures, one of Down Town La Porte

and the other of the staging area were all the trucks

and snowmobile trailers will be descending.

It's some pretty country summer or winter.

Caught Off Guard

JS and friend Chris just left for the mountains.

The storms that came threw this last week have

dumped several feet of snow.

This weekend and the next are when everyone go's to

cut Christmas trees, but the road crew has closed

the road at La Porte and locked the gate.

Snowmobiles are the only way in now.

Because of all the early snow, JS and Chris had

to go finish closing up the cabins.

"Keep your fingers crossed, no broken pipes".

I stepped out on the porch to take a shot,

and Chis asked, "You taking pictures of the

stupid people?" I just laughed, I knew they

weren't happy going and I was thankful

I didn't have too.

"HAPPY THANKSGIVING"

TO ALL OUR FAMILY AND FRIENDS

HAPPY THANKSGIVING

LOVE THE STARR FAMILY

I like this picture

Brrrrr........................

"Freeze", Wait and See

At 8am it was 34 degrees, I don't know how low

the temp got last night. I just know it wasn't good,

and we're in for the same tonight.

The oranges have a better change then the mandarins.

It will be days before we can tell if the fruit is OK.

So many things play into it, were you're located in the

foothills, how much sun do you get during the day,

how much slope do you have to you ground and how

many hours the temp stays low.

If you don't believe in high powers, just farm.

I ran the water system all Monday night and last night

and will run it today until the temp gets above 40.

Running the water really doesn't do much for the fruit

but, it helps to save the trees.

I don't get to upset over it, "it doesn't make me happy",

but there's just not much I can do about it.

Somethings in life are just out of our hands.

Now it just wait and see.

Mom Can You ?

Trixi

Casey

George and Ranch dog.

Friday night the kids were all home for dinner because

Dawn and Cory are not going to be here for turkey

day. Shane asked if I would take George to the vet.

( I guess they don't have vets in Sacramento ?)

George is fine just needs more food, he's a growing,

active boy. So he's been there since Friday.

Dawn had asked if their two dogs, Trixi and Casey

could stay with us while they're in Oregon.

"Like I was going to say no"

It was all going good today, I took George to the

vet at 9 am, then JS asked if I would go to the DMV

( Department of Motor Vehicles)

That would be fine it shouldn't take to long,

JS had been there the day before and paid the fees

they just needed some additional papers work.

I would be home before noon to see Dawn and

Cory when they brought the dog and tell them to

have a safe trip.

DMV people were on #31 when I got there and I pulled

#70, two and a half hours latter did not make

for a happy Sam. I missed the kids!

See that look in Ranch Dogs face,

I can't say it any better.