Where does time go???

Wow! I was so excited to finally get this going. Even posted the spring clean-up where the guys were burning ditches! WEEELLLLL what a year we had. The Wallow fire literally kicked out butts! First, we evacuated for nearly a week. Steve had just had knee replacement surgery so the evacuation alone was a trial. Thank Heavens for Rhett who came to help. Not only did he irrigate and have things very wet, he loaded as much stuff as we could take that was either irreplaceable or priceless. That was another a ha to me. I MUST get the scrapbooks in order and give them to the kids. I have far to many.......

Life has been very busy, first there was the clean-up, then we immediately started getting and placing sandbags. Since the hottest part of the fires watershed is the Little Colorado, and we live on that river flooding is a concern. We shored up the irrigation ditch on the golf course. Only because they have dug below the normal ground level for a fairway and once the water surges into that fairway it can't get out. A wierd deal and a design flaw am sure. Nevertheless it forces the water toward the ditch which brings water to the 13. Those sandbags sure got heavy but we did it. Then we started down the lane. The mud and guck (for lack of a better word) would fill our pond and kill the fish and no telling what all. We got started but did not finish....... (story of my life!)

Then winter....

A new grandaughter Carson Brynae Heussner in November.

A wonderful crazy fun filled Christmas.....

Now spring again!.....

Most of us here in the Round Valley feel as though the summer was sucked right out of our lives! Many have remarked how glad we are for summer this year as we feel we got robbed last year.

This is a brief catch up and am sure will fill in the gaps later.

I was in the middle of redoing Steve's fathers desk when the fire hit so it did NOT get finished until just before Christmas. Need I say more why it was never posted!? The desk was nothing special wood wise, it's mahogany and a quality piece dovetailed drawers etc. We striped in when we were first married living in Tucson. Then years later, I had another more professional gal work on it for me. Well, with all the current trend in painting I was sure tempted. I mentioned it to Steve and he was, oh do whatever you want with it. He didn't have to tell me that twice. Now if he REALLY had meant it, perhaps this would not be such a funny story. I thought he meant it!

You know how projects are. You don't SEE the end from the beginning, it evolves, right? Is bought the newest latest Annie Sloan's chalk paint and got going. I wanted the top left wood stained, the legs white the drawers and drop front blue and I wanted the plaster applied to the front drop leaf. Well, the white went on
easy enough but the blue was, well, very blue. I was scared. I knew it would calm down with the clear wax and then even more so with the dark wax. But, I was wondering what I must've been thinking. He came in one day when I was painting, looked at it and said to me. "What in the hell have you done to my Father's desk?" Oh my gosh, was I going to have to strip it again just like 40 years ago? I was nervous but kept at it having faith I really could envision what I had started. My biggest fear right then was the shade of blue. (Which turned out to be magnificent!) but for awhile - not so good. Each step improved the look.It was mellowing AND it was growing on ME. Finally I got the plaster stencil in and applied the dry wall mud then painted again, then waxed again. I was fairly pleased but I could strip it if he REALLY did not like it.

So, here is the day I finally have to confront this headon. I went outside and asked him to come in. I sat him on the couch and told him. I think I am pretty much done with the desk. Now, if you really don't like it, I will strip it down to what it was. Without hesitation he said, no, you enjoy doing it.I like to give you a bad time. Which is true. But, why paint something we stripped? Which is true. I still don't think he LOVES it but we get tons of compliments on it. People never knew it was there before, it stands out now but I have to admit it does NOT look like a cowboys desk. Guess I coulda put a horseshoe on it instead.....

LONG LIVE COWBOYS

I try to have a project or two for spring because of the wind. Usually I am ready to work outside but have discovered after all these years, it can be a waste of time. SO, I have something that need doing in th house.

Keep on keepin on

is my new slogan! Life is pretty discouraging at times. While our blessings are great, I expected life to be different at this stage/age. My friends and I discuss this often. We don't have as much energy,and we don't have as much stamina! The house gets dirtier than we expected (guess it was NOT all the kids fault, huh?)We all notice these "old people" habits creaping in. Like NOT putting something away that we might use again relatively soon - like a week or 10 days! Ha! And forgetfullness - sheesh! I'm waiting to look at Steve and not be able to remember his name!!! All the while I know darn well after 41 yrs of marriage, his name.

BUT, this year 2011 marks a monumental year for me. Not only do I turn the big 60, I have survived ovarian cancer for 20 years! Yes, quite a milestone and quite a big blessing! It still seems like a bad dream and yet I remember well a lot of the difficult times. I never thought cancer would get me. I just thought it was something I had to go through. My Dr. said my body reacted perfectly to the chemo. Yeah, lovely, I puked my guts out! Hard to realize puking can be a good thing. It means, the chemicals are working! Anyway, onward and upward.

Irrigation has begun. We always look forward to this because it greens up so nice. Again, we are blessed to have wonderful water rights both at the farm and here at the house. Soon I will get a photo and post it. When Steve spreads the water out on the 13, it really is quite a site.There is a bluff behind our home and I take the photo from up above.

I have been SO hooked on looking at others blogs, I cannot tell you how they have inspired me. I LOVE to decorate and have decorated any and everything over the years. I guess I have been a bit surprised at how trendy most stuff is - EVEN COLOR! So, it's been a treat to move stuff around, paint stuff, layer stuff ad even get rid of stuff.

My newest addition is my wall in my family room. While Steve and I are both ranch people, I LOVE all sorts of things in the decorating world. BUT, my family room is really the main room we have decorated with a western flair. While I love western, I detest what I call CHEESY western. Define cheesy western. I dunno but I know it when I see it. I consider it kinda dudish or drugstore looking. Back to my story. A couple of years ago, while watching the National Finals Rodeo, I noticed the Wrangler commercial. Long Live Cowboys. I liked that. It started the wheels turning. I wanted to do some vinyl letters on my walls but somehow the love laugh crap just doesn't cut it for me. Also I have these pretty cool John Wayne pictures that show the Duke - I think all in movies. Although I do have some personal photos of John Wayne when he came to Springerville for a hospital benefit in 1968 - I think And yes, that dates me but hec I already told you I was gonna be 60 this year! So, I got brave and asked Steve what he thought of me putting Long LIve Cowboys on the wall.Now I have to explain brave. He has never said a word when I get one of my brainstorms. BUT, I HATE for him to think I am crazy! He sorta cracked a smile and joked a little and decided he liked the idea. Hey - he knows I'm nuts! After all these years, he has NO idea what to expect next -just that there is SOMETHING to expect next!

I did two different sizes and decided because of the chunky font 8" was big enough. The texture on my walls is fairly rough so I have had some issues with it sticking but think I am getting that under control. My vinyl order came in today so will finish up the letters I lack and post a picture in the morning. In the meantime, LONG LIVE COWBOYS!

Cute - What a Word!

I have a fetish for "cute" things! Seriously, I LOVE LOVE LOVE the store models of things for sale. Like the little miniature tents at Wal Mart. I want one SO bad. And the little desk model at Costco. What I wouldn't give for one of those! I have this "dream" of a room totally devoted to "cute" little things like that. My Barbie would love it. Yes, I still have my Barbie and the house, car and other things. Anyway, the word CUTE causes a serious eyeroll from DH. And a sigh or two if I am lucky.

A couple of years ago, we stopped at the saddle maker Sam Booths house in St. Johns. Sam taught Steve how to make saddles years ago. In their home, they had the "cutest" miniature saddle I have ever seen. I had a fit, I wanted one of those "cute" things. Sam gave Steve a saddle tree (that is the basic structure a saddle is built on) and thus I began hinting, asking and flat out begging for my "cute" saddle. I wanted it for decoration AND the grandkids of course would be able to ride it. Christmas 2009 Steve made me one and it's one of the most talked about items in our home.

Thatcher is our 8th grandchild and a born Cowboy. Whoever says kids don't come with certain characteristics don't know squat! This little fellow loves to ride, do chores and follow "Bonka" around. After all, Bonka is a Cowboy! Well, Thatcher gets on this saddle on someone's leg and rides it until the horse (leg) gives out. Then he gets down and pulls the saddle off right by the hole beneath the horn (just like the real Cowboy's do) and away he goes to find another horse (someone else sitting in the room) until this horse gives out too. He can wear out three or four good horses in an evening! He never seems to tire of it and swears it is his saddle. I correct him and say No, it's G-ma's saddle. The best concession I get is, O.k. it's G-ma's and my saddle!

The saddle truly is a work of art. It is authentic from the tree up, wool skin, saddle strings, covered stirrups, the works. I LOVE my "cute" saddle and know it was a work of love. Little things are often more difficult to make than a normal size. This was no different. BTW, my husband does make custom saddles, anyone interested??

Spring has sprung

in Round Valley which = WIND! Ask anyone from here or that currently lives here and we all know what that means. Thus far, we have had a decent spring without a lot of wind. SO, we are paying for it now. While I LOVE it here, I could easily leave Jan or Feb 1 and not return until May. Only in May because you wouldn't have any yard if you didn't return. We still have some wind but you do get some nice days. Besides, if you didn't start your yard in May, you wouldn't have one all summer, you'd never catch up. You wanna know how I know that???

We have had a very cold winter and the other day I actually verbalized I would be glad for the wind just to be DONE with winter! Ha!

Irrigation starts April 15 so Steve has been busy cleaning and burning ditches. I realized I am always anxious this time of year! It's so easy for the fire to "get away" from you and it seems to me, it does quite regularly.

The fire department came to ride herd on our burning this year and it was really quite a relief. Besides, Rhett's kids were here and they thought it was great fun. Watching the "fire hiders"! Thanks to the Eagar Fire Department and their volunteers.