We are enjoying our days here at the ranch.
The cats are loving it, as well!
They sit in the sun and then run around playing CHASE and taking turns being IT!
I would love to know how they communicate!
Thursday afternoon - as soon as Sherry got off work - we drove over to see our friend, Grace.
She is a recent widow and Sherry helped her decipher some documentation she needs to do following her husband's death.
Her cat Blackie had just had 5 kittens less than 3 weeks ago - and one was literally born on her lap!
I got to hold each one of the kittens and they are so precious!
They are so new that they just now opened their eyes!
This one was sleeping when the paparazzi showed up!
So tiny!!!
Two are girls and the other 3 are boys.
I would dearly love to keep the two Calico ones that look like Samantha.
Louis Dean has been saying he wished he had a lap cat!
We love our Tabitha and Samantha, but they are NOT lap cats!
Blackie is a good mommy!
Sherry reminded me that we travel back and forth from the country to the city with our cats and it would be a lot of work if we had FOUR!
Plus, if we needed to leave our cats with Amber for some reason, adding FOUR critters to HER four would be a little much!
So I ended up going home with a pig instead!
Last time we visited, Grace gave me Gracie, her cute little piggy bank.
This time she gave me Charlie so they can be a couple.
Her husband, Charlie, passed away on January 31st, so I have added Grace to my prayer journal of widows.
I was looking on Pinterst for some Santa paintings and went down a rabbit hole!
I am going to try this recipe because it sounds SO good!!
We got back to the ranch well before the storms hit!
Louis Dean even made us a small campfire and we sat out on the deck watching the pretty pastel colored cloud lightning until it got closer and closer and then BLEW in!!!
The only damage we had was to our pond liner and water fountain out by the crepe myrtle here.
The wind pulled the pond full of water AND the concrete pedestal out of the ground!
Back in Irving there was a tornado and hail, but our neighbors told us everything looks fine from the front of our house. We will see what it looks in the back when we get home.
The gazebo cover had already been torn up from the storm before this one so we will see what we will see when we see it.
That was our Thursday!!
Friday was St. Patrick's Day!
Sherry decorates her truck for the seasons and holidays.
My friend said this looks like a bouquet of potato chips.
It really does!
My brother, Buster, called me from Kansas City to remind me that I am part Irish!
I am loving getting to know my 'new' siblings better!
It's going to be a lot of fun taking a road trip with Louis Dean up to see them this spring.
He's never been to Kansas City.
I have been busy deep cleaning the front room and bathroom.
The bathroom has a real floor, but the front room is built on our former deck and covered in outdoor rugs. I like this as it can be muddy and dusty and dirty down here and all I have to do is sprinkle some Pine Sol or Fabuloso around and hose it all down!
Louis Dean has been sorting and doing the odd job and project and is as happy as if he had good sense!
That's an old saying that we tell each other!
At home I decorate for the seasons but here I leave up some of the things I love all year round.
The Dearborn heater is the heart of this place when it is cold.
We have been known to host gatherings in here, small ones. of course, as there is only enough room for four chairs.
Back when Deanie, Nita, Lonnie and I were growing up, we envied folks who had a Dearborn and thought that was the best ever.
Mother and Clayton had one in their room, but we had one of those old-fashioned open flame gas heaters with the cotton looking stuff in the back. I think it was asbestos, but I couldn't even find one photo when I looked it up. If I turned the gas up high on the one we had, I could boil water and cook oatmeal!
I love the big bathroom sink and HOT water!!
It's rustic but still homey.
The chest of drawers we picked up on the curb did not work out for me.
Louis Dean says he can make it sturdier and better so he moved it into this shop room.
I stored my clothes in plastic bins and stacked them in the bathroom.
UNTIL........
Son Dean said I could borrow his brand-new Craftsman tool cabinet!
Win! WIN!!!
It makes a wonderful wardrobe for me but I am thinking that I may very well be the only lady in Texas - or maybe the country - who keeps her t-shirts, pants and other clothing in a tall toolbox!
But it works for ME!!
I moved on to the 'kitchen' side of the front room so now I only lack the 'sitting area' to clean.
Celebrated by lighting a candle.
Since we are in the country - we must beware of scorpions!
And snakes.
This scorpion was dead but served as a good reminder.
Thus ended our Friday!
Saturday dawned a beautiful but chilly day.
The meadow is my all-time favorite area here at the ranch!
I especially love this photo with the red chair.
I fully intend to sit right there in that chair when we come down again and the weather is warmer!
It will be a great place to read, meditate and pray.
Today was a Party Day!!
Sherry and Dean had invited Les and Jeanie - Sherry's parents - and Cindy and Rick - Sherry's sister and brother-in-law - down for fajitas and a good long visit!
Dean is a master griller, and he also does a lot of things on his smoker.
I reminded him of the time he smoked Gouda cheese.
It was beyond delicious and I have been wanting to smoke some more ever since then!
Sherry outdid herself with this amazing meal!
Now I know how to make Spanish rice!
The warmth and coziness of their home and the hum of conversation added to the mouthwatering smells from the kitchen made for a perfect family gathering!
After the meal, we all sat around and talked and son Dean kept us thoroughly entertained with his stories about Buddy - their favorite Billy goat from back in the day.
Dean says it is his favorite of all my paintings.
Sherry went out to gather up a bunch of duck eggs as no duck seemed to want to set on them, so Cindy and I went with her.
I did not know that the male ducks have those curly feathers at the tail!
All the others are female.
We came home later in the afternoon, and I went straight to the girl bunk for a nice long nap!
Thank you, Dean and Sherry, for a perfectly WONDERFUL day!
What a fun time you are having. I love your goat painting! And I agree about the Santa couple, they are so perfect looking that it is kind of creepy! You have really decorated extensively there, it all looks so good! I would love to have signs and things all over the walls like you do. But it would look horrible; as I have no talent for arranging. Your artistic talent makes every wall look wonderful, you have such a knack for it!
ReplyDeleteThat Mrs Santa looks a bit young for that particular Santa. Kind of creepy.
ReplyDeleteLove your goat painting. Looks like you have been having a great time!! :)
I love the goat picture! Kitties are so cute. I am going through things in my garage. Lots of things I have to let go. That meal
ReplyDeletesure looks good!
I LOVE THE GOAT! agree with LD, it is my favorite too. your country adventures are so entertaining and I laugh and enjoy your bathroom get togethers. I sent you in email a link to the gas heaters. search by vintage open flame gas... we had several of them. glad you did not get the kittens, I thought the same thing Sherry said while reading about them. the pig is adorable
ReplyDeletePigs and kittys and goats! SO glad you are having Fun!!
ReplyDeleteI LOVE Buddy's painting, Miss Linda! You are SO talented...
I know you are having a blast.
The storm passed us by, thank God! Hope y'all don't find any damage at home.
hugs
Donna
I agree that the best times are when family and friends are around !The kittens were a special bonus. They area adorable. Who wouldn't want to take them home. Your view of that green meadow makes me long for spring. We are getting some snow today and it's very cold. Nothing here is green yet. Hope you find your city home just fine when you get back there.
ReplyDeleteSo glad you are having a wonderful time at the ranch and weren't those kittens so sweet! Love the goat picture and hope things are okay at home in the city.
ReplyDeleteHope when you get back to Irvington,there is no damage.
ReplyDeleteI would take my easel to the meadow and paint!!!
Your days are so full in the country. Love the cute kittens and the tool box is perfect for your clothes! I'm glad you get to spend time with family. And I appreciate your comments. I wish you had time to look at the magazine article at the end of my post. I think you would like it! Hugs, Diane
ReplyDeleteYour time at the Ranch sounds so delightful...I know you even enjoy your cleaning and fluffing. Linda you are the ultimate homemaker.
ReplyDeleteCute kittens and the painting of Billy is wonderful.
Enjoy your day and I do hope your home is ok and survived the tornado.
(((hugs)))
Sue
The kittens were so sweet, but adding more would be more work too. Maybe you will be able to visit them, if you friend decides to keep a couple. That meal at the ranch looked so good and you always have the best gatherings. I laughed about the clothing storage cabinet, but if it works then problem solved, thanks to Louis Dean.
ReplyDeleteYour goat painting is beautiful, well done! Clothes in a tool box has a wonderful Texas vibe. Prayers your home is ok
ReplyDeleteThat goat is grinning! So glad that you are enjoying happy days at the ranch. ☺️ The tool box wardrobe seems perfect for the ranch.
ReplyDeleteHi Linda. Those kitties are so cute! I love that painting of the goat. You are so talented. Your place there looks so fun and cozy. So glad you are enjoying your time in the country. Have a good week. See you again soon!
ReplyDeleteI remember that painting! I love hearing about your days in the country. Lots of good times!
ReplyDeleteOh My but those kittens are so tiny and SO sweet.
ReplyDeleteI agree with your quote that the best times are when family and friends gather and you have an amazing entourage of both. Have a wonderful week.
Linda...what a marvelous post this was....oh the kittens, the kittens...how I would love to have one....they are just darling....and the family, the ranch, your painting and dinner....all just marvelous..thank you for letting us be a part of your country days!
ReplyDeleteYou are one very blessed lady.
ReplyDeleteLove your goat painting.
Those kitties are so tiny and so sweet. I don't know if I could have resisted taking at least one of them home.
I would be so freaked at the idea of scorpions or snakes = we don't have them at all - one venomous spider and that's all. Love that tool cabinet. I use some industrial racking in our box room (storage room). Cheers
ReplyDelete