First Fruits

My day has drastically improved! I survived the trailer ride (sweating profusely and looking quite pale by the time we arrived at our destination!)

Chad made a nice run in the steer wrestling with a 4.4. We went to church and then came home. I've been reading some great cook books on using fresh garden produce and had my plan set on plucking some potatoes for dinner. One of my first stopswas the garden and it wasn't to harvest either. I had six head of horses that found their way over from the barn. Chad had gone to get steers in and the rest of the "boys" were in the cool AC. After a slight freak-out, yelling and cursing and the equine, (none of which actually phased them) they were rounded up and dumped in the round pen with a huff and a puff.  (Again, totally unphased!)

I then headed to the garden to pluck our meal fixings. This isn't Mickie D's or BK, good food takes a bit of time and I warned the fam. If they were hungry they'd have to scrounge around the cupboard and see what they could find until lunch. This would actually help my cause and make them appreciate lunch because the cupboards are BARE!!!!! The kids played, Chad did some outside work and I dove into the prep and cook mode.

First was the peeling and slicing of cucumbers, which were then accompanied by onions and marinated in apple cider vinegar, salt, pepper and sugar.

Next I added potatoes, rosemary and salt to boiling water. I added peas later into the boil. During this time, I melted butter, chopped fresh basil, added licorice basil, garlic powder and pepper to the butter. After about 30 mintues, the potatoes and peas were drained then covered in herbed butter and a bit of sour cream. OH MY GOODNESS! I should have taken a picture, it was really quite beautiful but as you can imagine, by this time we were so darn hungry, we didn't really care.

These dishes joined the burgers that Chad grilled and surprisingly there were no complaints or protests. If you want your kids to eat all their lunch, without fussing and complaining. Get them up at 7 am and starve them for a while! Ok just kidding,!For anyone new to the blog, that may not get my sense of humor, I will say that the kids did have "eats" at slack; if you count Hot Tamales, sunflower seeds and Barbie fruit snacks, as food, then they were not starving.

So now for the really FUN part of my day........finding the laundry room. I'll post a picture just for fun so that you can see what I am up against.

I also have pictures coming of my fab birthday boots, and treasure hunting finds. I'd really like to just write all day...........or read, or nap or..........ok ANYTHING BUT WHAT I AM ABOUT TO DO! Pray for me!

On the road

Its not your eyes, the picture really is that blurry. My head feels about the same. I'm riding in the horse trailer with the kids to watch their cowboy father this morning at slack.

I wish I was happy about this but I'm not so joyous; the road is bumpy and I've just spilled coffee on my caris. I look like I didn't make it to the can in time.
That and the fact that I get motion sickness very easily is not helping. I lasted 5 minutes before ralphing on a catamaran cruise in Hawaii. This is worse.

Sorry. I'm pretty sure you didn't want to read about vomit on a leisurely Sunday morning. If nothing else let it be a reminder that staying home IS A GOOD THING!

Lunch! Just kidding!

Since I am an adult and I just had another birthday, I'm indulging in the sin-filled act of eating sugar/ pastries at anytime of the day that I fancy.

I am sure with humidity and heat index, I'll have no problem sweating it off. Holy goodness. Hot enough to roast peppers!

I'm sure there are other things to talk about besides the weather. Its just what's "hot" today! Pardon the pun. Heat is getting to me. I'll do my best to regaon composure here in a minute. It could be the loud boots I got for my birthday. Pictures coming as soon as I am home, rested, cooled off, organized..........it may be a while!

Here's to havin a cold one tonight! Cheers!

Birthday Sunset

Its been a FABULOUS 38th Birthday!

I'll share details and pics soon. For now just want to share that I feel like the luckiest cowgirl in the universe. Loving family, great friends, delicious food, and a beautiful day have kept me smiling all day. My heart is happy beyond belief. I feel amazingly blessed.

Thank you God! This is one I'll remember for a long time to come. I especially liked sitting on the deck tonight with a hot cup of coffee and watching the sunset. I'm a huge fan of your handiwork!

Love,
Robyn

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Holy Cow--Its HOT!

I don't think my temp is accurate. Its reading 107. It is on the south deck where the heat is most intense right now.

I just came in from weeding and mulching the garden. A wise woman would be in at sunrise and done by 10 or 11, but not me! Oh heavens no! I love to sweat buckets, as I catch up from being gone this am. I took another nine holes in and I don't feel at all guilty. Slight behind in my work load but try as I might, no guilt. Yep, checked again; not here!

I've checked and checked and it appears the garden is far behind. I may be canning in October. I canned a bunch of salsa and sauces in '08. The weather was cooler and we were still blessed with nice long days.

As hot and sticky as it is outside, I still love it. I love just about everything about summer. Fall is also a favorite. I savor the autumn colors and a big orange harvest moon hanging over the horizon.

There's a lot of summer yet though and I plan to enjoy it to the fullest. I have a hammock that I am going to drag out of storage next week. I figure if I can get caught up on laundry, editing and a few other to-dos then I can leisurely putter in my creative space in the afternoon. I'm really feeling the urge to get in my craft room (will have to find it first though!) I haven't done any scrapbooking in over a year so I have much to catch up with there as well (that is a much more enjoyable task though)!

I have so many ideasn plans and projects going on in my head! I just wonder when I will have the time. I've always fancied myself as an organized person but this summer, and the present ki alignment is throwing me one hellova loop. I'm adjusting just fine, I share that advice in monthly ki previews, so its not like I'm clueless. Being in the "thick" of a nine fire station though *phew*, its a doozie!

Next month should be a bit more balanced. I'm hoping to have the chicken/goat complex complete and fill it with ready to lay chickens. I miss my chicks sooo much. Camo is clucking and acting like a real hen. The guineas are a hoot to watch. They are some bug zappin birdies. I'll turn them loose in the garden soon but I want a place for them to roost. We don't have many trees for them to fly up to. They are getting along with the duck and chicken just fine; a hodge-podgy little family!

So that's the super-boring update for today! Tomorrow should be spect-tac; I'm going for a quick visit to see my mom. I have some fab junk that I found in the old red shed (pics coming). I'll have lunch with my sweet cousin Ang, back from NM, her Mama, and any other friends and family members that read this and want to join in! (My mother has likely called everyone she knows by now!)

My brother's beans are ready and being the nice sis I am, well, I can't let 'em go to waste. Part of his birthday present was Dill Beans. He's provided the beans, I'll do the rest! It'll be a fast, fun trip. And if that weren't enough, my husband is taking me to Bella Italia for supper! Yay! What a great stay-cation week! The best part is, I get to sleep in my own, comfy bed EVERY NIGHT!

More on-the-go blogging coming up!

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The Hell with Housework!

Today, despite my best efforts to focus, I am throwing in the towel. I've had it! (I'm actualy not mad, sad, upset or depressed, so keep reading!)

We've been on the go for 10 days. Though I try to keep order and neatness, it is a nearly impossible with the schedule and hours we've been keeping. We've had a 9th birthday, a holiday, baseball tournament, and junior rodeos. My goal was to reclaim our space, excavate the kitchen and unbury the laundry room. Instead, I went golfing this morning. I usually put off any fun/recreation until my work is done. One look around this pit reminds me the work might not be over for a very long time.............

I realized today, somewhere around hole #4, that I just as well take my vacation this week. What the heck! I'm not going anywhere but there's no reason not to take a time out, kick back and declare a strike against clutter, strewn laundry, full counters and a fridge that should be covered in yellow "caution" tape. (Its bad in there, man!) I'm pretty sure no one is going to drive to my house and say, "YOU HAVE TO TAKE A TIME OUT". On the same token I probably won't get hauled to jail for not getting the place picked up either. Its only my ego that I'm wrestling with here. The kids sure don't care! My spouse does. He's just being polite and not saying too much. He's not home enough to contribute to the mess so none of this gets blamed on him. I'm amazed that even after all the work and decluttering I did this spring, we still have a very messy abode. Its hard on me but this week, its not hard enough to make me do something about it!

Try as I might, I am literally at the end of my "go reserves". They've gone. I've felt it for a while, I just haven't admitted it. I am ready to sit by the pool and let an adorable young man bring me drinks with umbrellas in them. It's past pina colada time. Its summer. The garden is growing, the goats are fed. Who cares if my children don't have cleans socks or jeans?!

When I came this afternoon, I saw my red vintage apron with the saying, "To Hell with Housework! Let's go to Cheyenne Wyoming." What a plan. Amen sister. It won't take much for me to up and go, I think I may already be there! Traditionally, we are gettting ready for Cheyenne right about now. Chad did not enter this year, which makes me a tad sad. It is one of the rodeos I do look forward to going to. Not because of the cowboys either, there is usually a "rockin" trade show and great vendors. My pocketbook will thank me. In fact, this "staycation" may be a really, really good thing. If I just stick around here and actually do the things I WANT to do, not the things I HAVE to do, I may enjoy myself more. It seems I work when I am here. I haven't yet learned the art of letting go and hanging out when it comes to my personal space; but I am willing to try.

I'll keep you posted on how it goes. Soon enough the temptation to clean, clear and organize will probably kick in, it usually does. For right now though, I'm saying to hell with it. I am going to go outside and drink a raspberry tea on the glider. Then I am going to come in and shower. I may take a nap. I may just sit and stare at the clouds. I'll sit here until inspiration catches up with me. It appears I have plenty of time. Its going to be hard to top Disney World, but I'll give it my best shot.

Tomato Village