Icy Day at the Ranch!

 It's been an icy cold day at the ranch!

I went out to the end of our carport to throw out some table scraps for the horses and was shocked to see all the ice. I went back in to get my coat and ventured back out to take a few pictures.

I saw Mr. Jackson's donkeys yesterday but I couldn't see any of his animals today.

Before I went out this morning, I heard a bird chirping outside.

I eased open the front door and there he was. I don't know what kind but he had a tuft on his head like a blue jay but he was a much smaller bird. I had pitched out some black eyed peas and he had found one and brought it up under the shelter of the big red roof to eat it.

When I looked out of the girl bunk window this morning I thought it was foggy.

Not so. It was all the bushes and ground is coated in ice.

We don't get cabin fever and I'm really glad since we can't get out in this weather.

Neither do we ever get bored. There's always something to do or a book to read or a note to write.

I never run out of things to clean or pictures to paint.

Louis Dean is the same way. He can entertain himself in all manner of ways.

Today he spent most of his time working in his shop room (right next to the bathroom to the right.)

He has cleaned and organized it and even put down the flooring - those inexpensive vinyl squares.

He is seeing the benefits of keeping his work area clean.He is forever looking for something and it's so much easier to find things when it's not all piled up with clothes, trash and debris strewn about.

I do most of the cooking down here and today I made BLTs for a late breakfast.

We usually eat two meals a day and since it was perfect weather for soup .....

that's what I made.

I had plenty of potatoes since Louis Dean bought some - twice.

Potatoes, onions, red bell pepper, frozen green peas, fresh broccoli, a can of corn, milk, and a big hunkof Velveeta cheese.....plus lots of seasonings. We had little packets of red pepper flakes and Parmesan cheese from the pizzas we ordered last week for Lillian and I tossed those in for good measure!

I saved some crisp bacon to put on top!

Delicious!

I did my hour of writing in my book today.

The time goes by quickly but I think it's wise to limit myself to an hour.

I find I am thinking ahead about what is happening in the time I'm writing about so when I sit down to write, I already know what I'm going to say.

Yesterday  I wrote about my life in 1981 - 1982 and today I wrote about the house fire on June 11th, 1983.  I am thankful that Summer and Jesse Jr. - who were home that Saturday morning at 3:00 AM - were able to get out through a bedroom window. 

God is a God of redemption and He has redeemed so much for me.

I ended my day with an art session.

I'm having to let Louis Dean's face dry in my other painting project.

I had really messed that up and had to do a lot of 'surgery' with brush and oil to restore the basic shape of his face!

The water has started to flow a little bit in the camper and I am hoping the weather warms up enough to get outside some tomorrow.

The Bells are planning on coming to visit us here at the ranch during spring break and I want to get the deck all cleaned up and the windows washed. Right now we are in a burn ban but I'm hoping that is lifted by then as we have a good supply of fireworks we've been saving for when they come.

We go back home the middle of next week so we need a few good 'work days' to get some stuff done!

That's been known to happen!