Le printemps!

Awake, thou wintry earth-

Fling off thy sadness!

Fair vernal flowers, laugh forth

Your ancient gladness!

-Thomas Blackburn-

Spring is almost upon us, March 20th to be exact.  Life is busy here at Rockin' A Ranch, there are lambing jugs to ready for new lambs, a new holding pen getting built for the new steer , seedlings to be placed in "my special soil mix" for veggie starts, pruning of fruit trees, fertilizing of roses and flower beds..........a lot of work for two people.  We wouldn't have it any other way though...........working hard comes naturally to "The Man" and myself.  

 Walking the grounds the other day I noticed my perennial herbs breaking soil to greet the warmer days.  I love my fresh herbs. I pluck them during the Spring/Summer for drying, also for flavoring foods, butter, drinks, and using them as garnish for my "famous" Antipasto platter.  I also love growing edible flowers, Borage candied and placed in a glass of white wine sangria or tea, Nastursiums for salads, marigolds, violets, stock, pinks and cowslips.  Lavender and rose petals add a delicate color and flavor to our homemade ice cream.  Tulips partially dipped in chocolate and stuffed with lavender cream (stamen removed of course!).  In fact, I have a cousin in Vashon, Washington that grows edible flowers for most of the restaurants in Seattle, maybe it's inveterate for the two of us. 

"The Man" and myself are praying (along with our little mantra song) in hopes that our fruit blossoms on the trees will not freeze this year and we'll have an abundance of fruit.

Even "Blue" is anticipating an acceleration of action on the lone prarie lately, he's been pining his days away watching over his flock of sheep.......all after seeing some coyotes and bobcats recently.  He's a "good ol' boy," slowly coming into his own.

Yesterday's order of first cutting hay was delivered to the ol' ranch.  Over three ton to be exact, another is on the way.  This next batch will be the second cutting with smaller stems.  Sheep like smaller stems but all parts of alfalfa (including the stems) have serious nutritional value.  This load has a lot of protein in it for the unborn lambs and the ewes.  I like to get this in prior to the "girls" lambing, it's so good for them.  Our shearer friend, Miss Penney is coming in on March 20th to shear.  I like to get that done before lambing as well, keeps it a bit "tidier" for the lambing process. 

If I haven't told you about our shearer, now is my time to brag!!!  Penney is the daughter of Lynn.  Lynn sold me my first two ewes on the ranch and my first two rams.  Thus started the breeding of sheep at Rockin' A Ranch.  Lynn raised over 300 head of sheep in Republic, Washington in her hay-day.  Penney learned what she knows from a very smart, kind, and compassionate mama.  Penney LOVES to enter competitions with her shearing, last years took place in California.  She took third.............third internationally.........yeah, that means she out-sheared some real seasoned male, New Zealanders, Aussies, and the like.  She is an incredible shearer and we're very blessed that Lynn sent her to us. 

As I said, we have a new edition arriving at the ranch soon...........a Holstein steer calf (YES, that means bottle feeding three times a day).  Praying the lil' guy doesn't get scours and grows to be a nice, healthy steer.   Twenty-some chicks will also arrive late April.  I've furthered the flock of chickens incorporating more old, heritage breeds, and some will be raised for about six weeks and butchered for our freezer.  After four years of raising our own meat, store bought pales folks!  I can butcher and dress a chicken in less than fifteen minutes now.............who'd a thunk?  Our two new ducks are on order, a drake and hen "Buff," originating from England.  And of course our heritage breed turkeys are also on order. 

In denouement, I will be nurturing and bottle feeding a calf (hopefully NO lambs), tending to baby chicks of all varieties, and coaxing my sweet veggies, herbs and flowers along this Spring...............what'll you be doing this Spring?

Staying Connected

I've had many pictures taken of me in my lifetime, most not so good, a few that are "o.k."  I'm not a big fan of having my picture taken, guess it's because so many show that "crooked smile" that's genetic, or all my freckles (which seem to be resurfacing just like when I was six!), the crows-feet around my eyes and mouth (from so many years of smilin').  But this isn't a posting about aging, good picture vs. bad picture, this is about staying connected to our friends!

In many ways, friends define us and keep us sane. For women nearing 50, as our generation ages, our networks of friends become larger.  Not only larger but more important to us.

I'm a fairly outgoing lady, I've never been shy nor been too overly concerned with what other's may think of me.  My motto has always been, "don't take yourself too seriously, cuz' no one else does!"  I believe that!  I love to walk up to a stranger and start a conversation with them, I enjoy meeting new people, I enjoy making friends.  In the words of Maya Angelou, "we're all more alike than unalike."  So true..............The beautiful lady in the picture is my friend Mary, we've known each other for ten years.  She is an incredible lady and we have "ginormous" amounts in common. I love her very much, in fact, I just had her over this past Saturday for six hours, we had a lot of fun and  time to talk.  I needed my "fix of Mary," it had been too long. To me, I think of friendship as something I need like exercise or a good night's sleep.

Friendship is not a constant state of connection; it needs to be tended like a garden, and improves with that tending.  In the past couple of years, I've been able to reconnect with many friends from grade school.  I was never one for getting "hyped" about a reunion (high school or otherwise), those that I was friends with in grade school or high school, are those that I want to stay connected to.  There is Carol, Kellee, Meg, Stacey, Sarah, Maxie, Melanie, Beverly, Cathy, Janie, Jerry, Jay, Randy, Rob, Rod, Mike, Nancy, Nora, Penney and a plethora of other truly, terrific friends.

 Every hour of friendship time I add to my life diminishes stress and increases my happiness.  There are things you will tell a friend that you wouldn't tell a spouse or lover.  Even a small shot of "friend time" can recharge my spirit and help me maintain that connection.  Meg and I try to chat at least once a week through messenger, Carol calls whenever she's up and available to shop and go out to lunch.  Kellee sends me emails that she won't send anyone else.....cuz' she know's me so well. Sweet Stacey for posting one of the nicest "surveys" amongst our friends on Facebook about my writing, Maxie for her sweet, personal letters to me via FB, Sarah for her kindness, and honesty.....I could go on and on about my dear friends.............I cherish them all.

I find that's it's really easy and enormously satisfying to "pick up where we left off," even after thirty plus years!  I love each and everyone of you, thank you for the friendship, history we share, laughter, giggles and tears. You're the BEST!!!

P.S.  I have wonderful photo's of these treasured friends that I wanted to post on here, but.............I couldn't get them to post for some reason.....shucks!

Billet-Doux

If I was a flower growin' wild and free

All I'd want is you to be my sweet honey bee.

And if I was a tree growing tall and green

All I'd want is you to shade me and be my leaves.

All I want is you, will you be my bride

Take me by the hand and stand by my side

All I want is you, will you stay with me?

Hold me in your arms and sway me like the sea.

If you were a river in the mountains tall,

The rumble of your water would be my call

If you were the winter, I know I'd be your snow

Just as long as you were with me, when the cold winds blow.

All I want is you , will you be my bride

Take me by the hand and stand by my side.

All I want is you, will you stay with me?

Hold me in your arms and sway me like the sea.

If you were a wink, I'd be a nod

If you were a seed, well I'd be a pod

If you were a floor, I'd wanna be the rug

And if you were a kiss, I know I'd be your hug.

All I want is you, will you be my bride

Take me by the hand and stand by my side.

All I want is you, will you stay with me?

Hold me in your arms and sway me like the sea.

If you were the wood, I'd be the fire.

If you were the love, I'd be the desire

If you were a castle, I'd be your moat

And if you were an ocean, I'd learn to float.

All I want is you, will you be my bride

Take me by the hand and stand by my side.

All I want is you, will you stay with me?

Hold me in your arms and sway me like the sea.

This my love is how I feel about us, and I love you Rick beyond measure!

For Toby, with love from your seasoned, SAINT-ly, Sage......................!!!

This is going to be my fav post to date......you know why?  Because our son-in-law Toby is not only a "sweet guy," but he's also very, very, self-assured, and cocky.........so I get to put him in his place with this posting!

Sunday morning (the morning of the Superbowl), I started getting text's from Toby.....lil' jabs about the upcoming game and his certainty that I would lose the bet we had.....WAIT, let me back up just a sec.....you see, Toby lost our Superbowl bet the previous year, he owed me dinner for that loss.  One year to the date, he decided he'd "man up to his debt" by having us over for dinner......on Superbowl Sunday!  Now mind you, I had to wait ONE FULL YEAR TO BE PAID FOR HIS LOSS OF THE 2009 SUPERBOWL!

BTW-Toby, your Bison burgers rocked the house and the bottle of Cabernet you bought me (as part of being a loser in 2009), outstanding with a wonderful complexity! 

Now back to the story....... approximately two weeks ago, I received a phone call from Toby..........he called to tell me that he was betting on the Colts at the Superbowl and I could have the Saints!!!! "Hello, who wagers a bet this way???"  So being the wise Sage that I am, I went along with it but he got an earful yesterday over his betting formalities. 

 I was good with the Saints because, #1 my granny was from Louisiana, #2 the Saints were rated the "under-dog," #3 the Saints have never made it to a Superbowl.....I was good with it, no problems really, until Mr. Smartypants wanted to pester me all day Sunday with his texts, "be here at four-thirty......i will be thinking about what you will be making me for dinner next year." or "I'm always one step ahead of you."  I think at that point I texted him back and told him to KMA and quit pestering me!

"The Man" and I arrived on time for the event, bringing some Irish beer with us.  Kick-off began...........and I have to admit, in the first quarter of that game it DID look like the "ponies" would take it......they were certainly leading the way to victory.............until.........the off-side kick by the Saints............now that sure upped the ante for the "ponies." 

About that time, my sis called me on my cell  to rave about the off-side kick by "our team."  Sooooo.....I let her have a jab at Toby...........jab she did.

Wasn't long before the boys (Toby and Brady) were really gettin' stressed over the way the game was turning.............

Ahhhhh....the glory of winning!!!!! Toby, "I'll be on-time next year and I WILL be thinking about what you will be making me for dinner!"  xoxoxo

Hidden Treasures.........

I love this ol' ranch, considering it's ONLY eighty-five years old, one can only fathom the treasures left behind by others.

When we first moved in, all I seemed to stumble upon was broken glass.  That was rather frustrating since I have grand children and animals that could be injured on such items.  Then I began to find utensils.........in the strangest places.  I've found spoons, forks and knives in the pastures and corrals, it's like all the ol' time cowboys were out on the fence eating "Beenie-Weenies" all day, and keepin' an eye on the "doggies."

But then one day, I started really focusing on my finds.........purple glass shards, pottery shards, railroad spikes, beautifully designed broken plates and cups, old buttons, coins, a compass, kids play jacks(the old metal ones), marbles...........the insurmountable treasures I have found now grace my home and yard. 

I have been collecting purple glass for many years now.  Beginning in the 1860's glass makers in the United States started using manganese to give glass clarity instead of lead due to the lead shortages created by the civil war.  Glass containing manganese eventually turns a light purple when exposed to sunlight, a side effect that was unknown at the time the practice started.  By roughly 1915, most companies in the United States switched from manganese to selenium to maintain clearness in glass.

Also.........the multitude of machinery parts I have found, sheep shears (hum?....I thought this was a cattle ranch), bolts, hammers, hand tools, and some pieces I have NO clue as to their origin.........abundant to say the least.  It's truly like a treasure hunt out here, one just need be aware, and pay attention, and "ye shall find."

These railroad spikes have been found in abundance on our lil' ranch......we did have a railroad running just in front of our home many years ago.  I've seen these in the antique stores as high as $4.50 a piece.  I'm thinkin' we're sittin' on a small fortune here at the ol' homestead.

We have lived here for almost four years, on the first of January 2010, "The Man" and myself decided to head outdoors to finish a fencing project that needed to be completed.  I was on one side of the fence tying wire, "The Man" on the other side.  I leaned down to tie wire to the bottom of a post when low and behold.....I found a real treasure.........a button....... a sea-shell button from a womens garment.  I was very excited, my grandmother used to collect sea-shell buttons, in fact my sister and I split a few of her buttons years ago so we would have her collection to remember her.

Over the years I've often felt her presence near me.  I have been told by her two children that she would have loved this ol' ranch.  So this find sends a very positive omen to me, I know she is with me daily, edging me on to till the soil, fill my lungs with fresh air, plant and can, spin my wool and be with God here in my humble abode.  I take nothing for granted, all these treasures were meant to be found by us.......thanks for guiding me grandma.....I love you!

"2010.......A Pro-Liberty Year!"

This year marks the end of an indefinable era.  We have seen changes to our world like few other decades have seen.  There have been so many shaping events in history, who can forget that this decade began with millions questioning whether or not our civilization would collapse as we faced Y2K. The first decade brought the horrors of a date whose name and significance would forever change our understanding of freedom, and with it a new America.

It held a massive catastrophic natural disaster those names would forever become synonymous with devastation, and nearly stole an iconic major national city from us.  We saw the Boston Red Sox at last beat a curse held since 1919, finally winning the World Series not just once, but twice!  Then there was a War....a decade of bloodshed as we worked to free the world from a force that has been a shadow throughout the world.

We have seen the lowest deeds of man come to light with the difficulties of torture, the unremorseful Bernie Madoff (made-off with all your money!), and an epic economic failure that our country felt immune from.  Then there were the elections that would go down in history, with Bush's second time around and the endless jokes about Florida's  inability to count, and the most memorable of all....the first African American President.

The Constitution is based on six basic principles.  These are deeply ingrained in the mindset and landscape of US government...allegedly!

Let's start with "Popular Sovereignty," this principle states that the source of governmental power lies with the people. This belief stems from the concept of the social contract and the idea that government should be for the benefit of it's citizens. If the government is not protecting it's people, it should be dissolved.

Limited Government: Since the people give government it's power, government itself is limited to the power given it by them. The U.S. government does not derive it's power from itself.  It must follow it's own laws and it can only act using powers given to it by the people. americanhistory.com

There are four more principles you can look up for yourself, but I have to speak my mind here.  I DO NOT believe our government speaks for the majority of the people.  When the government decides that you must be "forced" to buy a government service (the new health care bill), it is unprecedented!!  They are ramming a health care bill down our throats that over 70% of us said we don't want because it will actually raise healthcare costs and decrease benefits for most of us!  Do you want the United States of America to become the United Socialist States of America?

It's like they are telling us, "give up all your liberties so we can help you!"  Or better yet, George Carlin's quote, "people go back to bed, your government is IN CONTROL!"  Scary s--t if you ask me. 

I love my health care plan as it stands now....I don't want any part of the "governments health care plan."  "If I choose not to participate and you throw me in jail............please Obama, make sure you give me a HD, flat screen, T.V. in my cell."

I'm not socialist and I don't want to live in a socialist country, I'm not "anti-government," but I am "Pro-Liberty!"

Christmas Crafts and Bubble Baths

You know, sometimes in your life, certain things hit you hard in the heart and you know you're changed forever.  This past week-end that happened to me (us). 

We had the honor of watching three of our five grand kids for several nights while their parents went out of town.  What an initial whirlwind that was.........kids arrived with huge pieces of luggage, talking non-stop all the while, and the baby (who just learned to walk) grabbing goodies as fast as you could put one up.  I knew we were in for a "treat."

And that's exactly what we got...........once the initial hurricane settled into the eye of the storm, everything went smoothly.  The only time I really felt a bit of anxiety was at meal time, the baby would cling to my leg crying and hungry, Brady would TELL ME what HE wanted for dinner, Kiley would say, "Nana I'm really hungry."  Once the babe was strapped into his high chair with fresh fruit, things calmed...............I could then focus on the meal.  Mind you this was three times a day with snacks in between.  Aside from the starving lil' chicks, the time spent with them was fun.

Kiley and I made Christmas crafts for her "second" family (her biological father, his wife and their four kids).  I knew she was "stressing" over what to make them as they are kids that apparently are very "picky" about what they get for gifts.  After a small pep talk with Kiley about homemade gifts vs. store bought, she buckled down to make meaningful gifts for her siblings.  I have to tell you, she put her heart and soul into those gifts for her siblings. 

 I have "stuff", craft stuff...........in bags, in containers, in boxes, you name it, I have it.  She pulled everyone of those out to "design" her Christmas gifts.She embellished those crafts with paint, lace, ribbons, roses, and tacky glue.  She measured, cut, and painted those crafts into some of the cutest "shabby chic" lil' designs ever!  They turned out darling and she was soooo proud of her artistic work.  She made one sign, designed in a heart that said........"Every girl has a story to tell......"  Now she came up with that lil' saying on her own, I personally want her to do one for me that says.........."Every woman has a story to tell....."  She's a gifted, artistic child and I'm glad I was able to devote the time to her.I couldn't have spent the one-on-one time with her either if it hadn't been for "The Man" holding down the rest of the fort...........two boys bouncing off the walls!!! 

Now for those two boys...................wow!  They are a handful but oh so adorable.  If you are a woman who's never had the honor of having a son, you won't understand the following, plain and simple, you just "can't know."  Boys are a breed of their own, they wipe snot on their sleeves or the bottom of their shirts, they smell sweaty, they "fart" and think it's "so hilarious."  I mean, they are completely from another gene pool altogether....left side, right side brain....I don't know but they are certainly different than lil' girls.  These two lil' boys wanted to play outside (in 30-40 something F.), they wanted to dig in dirt, build mountains, paint on wood, saw wood, hammer and nail.......all I can say, "Thank GOD for "The Man."  He knows how to do this "boy thing" with the boys very well.  Chase (aka Coursey) I did indeed bundle up both days and let him check out the critters for about an hour.  He needed the fresh air, Vitamin D and I needed him to tucker himself out walking and navigating the ranch.  That he did, he took great naps for his Nana. 

"The Man" and his lil' buddy Brady (aka Bingo), had a hoopla of a time building bridges, tunnels, cabins, and lakes out of the left-over sand from the well drilling.  They made a city, actually "Bingo" called it his town in Alaska, it was so dubbed, "Alaska City."  After interminable hours outdoors, playing in sand and sweating, Nana called the boys in for baths.  I had absolutely NO problem getting those boys in for baths either as they love the new claw-foot tub(their deeper than modern day tubs).  Strip em' down, get em' naked and start the bubble bath...........easy as pie.Gettin' em out was the hard part!

What changed this Nana over the week-end?  I realize that life is short, grand kids grow up too fast, time spent one-on-one with each of them is precious beyond measure.  I cherish these days with my grand kids, they are truly the "light of my life."  I just HAPPEN to love kids, I like to tease the grand kids, I like to wrestle with the grand kids, give kisses and hugs to them............it makes you younger, lighter, the load less heavy.  Life is precious and grand kids are a treasure.

In denouement, "The Man" and myself were in bed by 8 p.m. Sunday evening, we were plum tuckered from playin' so hard with those kids..............and it felt GOOD!!!!! I think it was a week-end....... "Jesus approved."

NANA'S MUSSELS DI NAPOLI

A GRAND KIDS REQUEST RECIPE!

4# mussels

2 Cups white wine

1 cup salted butter

10 garlic cloves, coarsely chopped

4 Tablespoons olive oil

2 Tablespoons chopped fresh parsley

2 Tablespoons Italian herbs

1/4 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes

1/4 teaspoon salt

fresh ground black pepper to taste

Gently cook garlic together with olive oil until the garlic gets soft.

In a large saucepan combine the mussels, wine and butter.  Add garlic and any remaining olive oil.  Cover the pot and bring to simmer over medium heat.  Mussels are cooked when the shells are open.  Add all remaining ingredients, stir carefully and simmer gently on low heat for about two minutes.  Serve in bowls with plenty of bread to soak up the delicious juices!!!  Add a salad and Bon Appetit!!!

*My two grand kids will eat a pound of mussels on their own.......believe it or not!!!!!