Friends & Family

Yesterday I stopped by the Flower Tree Nursery. It was the first time I'd been by since I began making these trips back and forth to my dad's and the love and concern I got from everyone there - Susan, Bill & Korena, Jaime and Toni and Rose - was so overwhelming. Having friends like these is one of the best-of-life experiences. It makes it all the harder to be away for one of my favorite holidays, when friends and family get together and it isn't about commercialism, it's about everyone sharing in putting together a great meal for loved ones.

I love all of you!

Why I love the desert

 

Another gorgeous sunrise from the back of our house. Very rarely do I take the time anymore to stop and just watch it. Life is too fast and I have come to take views like these for granted. But right now there is no way to change it.

Backroads of Alabama

While making the drive between my dad's and the hospital where he is staying I came across some great old buildings. This was one of them. The chance to take a few photos was a needed distraction from the sadness of what is happening to my father.

I'm slipping

I have really slipped - it's been a long time since I posted anything. We've been busy, busy, busy! We had a graduation, two weddings, lots of cooking, a river float and lots of fun just hanging out with friends. My oldest son and my granddaughter got to come out for a week in June and it was so wonderful to have them here! The summer has been a bit cooler than in recent years, but we have had a couple of pretty good scorcher days also.

Sadly, we lost our beautiful German Shepherd Bella in June after she was hit by an ATV. The only pictures I had taken of her were just a couple of weeks before during Memorial Day weekend when she jumped up on a rock with Brandon near our camp spot. It was dusk and they aren't very good but it's all I've got. It reminded me of one important lesson - you never know when "I've got plenty of time" is going to turn into "There wasn't enough time". Every time I am near the spot where we buried her I think of it.

Note the important things in your life, document the memorable and live life so that you don't look back very often and say "There wasn't enough time."

We made these two gnocchi's from scratch with the friends with the organic farm - one is sweet potato, the other is the traditional plain ol' potato. Just kidding - there is nothing plain about it.

Old Cattle Enclosure

This old cattle enclosure sits on the property of some great people we know - they now run an organic farm on the property but have retained the original homestead and outbuildings. A truly amazing place.

Finisher

Shawn ran the Virginia City Grand Prix on Sunday, April 25 and finished once again. (Brandon was still recovering from his injury from the previous weekend.) The race is said to be one of the toughest in the West - as can be seen from this pic.