Back to the COUNTRY!!!

I admit that I do so love everything about going to the ranch!

We aren't ones to wake up at the crack of dawn and hurry out the door.

Not even when we are going some place that I REALLY want to be!

So first - we had coffee and did our reading.

Then we packed up, cleaned the fridge, and loaded the truck.

I ran a load of laundry and the dishwasher plus made sure Summer knew where I put her food and how to turn on my thousand points of light every morning.

She assured me that she would take her medicines, check her blood sugar and eat healthy.

"After all," she said, "I am 53 years old!"

Still, I lost the last misgivings I was feeling about leaving her alone after I talked to Sherry and she told me she would be in town and will come over and check on her.

Praise God!!

So it was with a light heart that we headed out this afternoon!

Summer came out to record the moment!

She IS her mother's daughter!!

Wish I had taken a picture of HER!!

We were OFF!!!!

I love that magic moment when we drive away!

Our first stop was right there in Irving to Years to Your Health.

Summer reminded me that Louis Dean would greatly benefit from taking Fenugreek for his lungs.

He's been hacking and choking and carrying on something awful.

I went right in and came right out with that plus some Thieves Oil and CoQ10 for his heart health.

Then, since we were right up there close to  Loop 12, we hopped right on and were really on our way!!

Louis Dean doesn't look too happy here. Not sure why. 

But just wait - you will see him laughing and smiling soon!

We stopped at Collin Street Bakery where I hoped to buy an apricot pie.

Wish I had taken a pic of the cookie cases there. They were EMPTY!!

NO pies and not many cookies left.

Cinnamon Bread and Pecan Bread were about the best we could do.

She said Spring Break hit them hard and they were swamped earlier in the day!

We nearly always stop at HEB on our way in.

It is my happy place.

We took two baskets......

I met up with Louis Dean and he had a guilty look on his face.

"WHAT???? I'm only getting some bacon!!"

When we checked out, I saw LOTS of items he had snuck in the basket!

Just how many bags of chips does he plan to eat???

We ate dinner at Luby's and this time he did NOT get a dessert - making progress on his diet!

It wsn't even dark when we headed to the COUNTRY!!

Some fields are brown with tiny green things coming up.....

while other fields are covered in green!!

When we turn on County Line Road, we know we are on the home stretch!

NOW just look at Louis Dean!!!

I told you he would be smiling and laughing!

It might be silly but I asked Louis Dean to stop the truck and let me take some pictures.

Ah, I breathed in the smell of the COUNTRY and sighed a deep sigh.

I'm IN the country!!

On County Line Road nearly to the ranch!

Louis Dean noticed someone had run off the road - and kept going!!

Coming in the gate!!

This is another favorite moment!

I'm always so happy to arrive and slightly sad when I leave.

I'm BACK!!!

Louis Dean unloads and I put up.

50-50!

It takes about an hour to fluff up the nest and put all the groceries away.

The camper stays stocked with basic groceries and linens and such.

We store the chairs and bicycles inside the camper when we leave so we have to put them back outside. We also have a small freezer out on the deck and we plug that in and fill it back up.

THEN we put on our sweaters and poured a glass of wine and sit on the deck listening to the night sounds in the country,

Night Sounds and our First Sunset!

It just doesn't get any better than this!!