Memorial Day Weekend.....

I hope everyone had a great Memorial Day weekend....We did! We rode horses on Monday. Wilfred and I are both sore this morning. My mom bought a new horse on Monday. Her name is Lily. She is 2 months old. She is still going to stay with her momma until the end of July. She is APHA registered. I am going to show her at the N.M. State Fair in the halter class. She is very sweet and loving! Here she was bonding with Wilfred. On Saturday We went out to Bouton's Place. They had a windmill that was needing the head taken off of it. They also needed the water tower taken down. Where they live there was a HUGE fire. It burned several thousand acres of the national forest and some of Bouton's land. That same fire burned 59 homes in the area. Wilfred drove the crane down with Clayton, and Lindsy and I drove my car with a trailer. The plan was to use the crane on the windmill and water tower. Then go cut timbers from the burned parts of the land. I wish I could have captured the burn and the scar on film....there was just no way! It was amazing and very sobering. I am so sorry for the quality of the photos. Somehow my darling children got finger prints all over my lens.

The fire was so hot that even the rocks burned... some of the HUGE boulders cracked in half!

One tree burned nearly completely while the cluster of trees around it are still standing.
The kids had so much fun playing in the dirt!

Here is the crane Wilfred was using. He has recently been promoted to a 40 ton crane. This is it!

My crazy husband climbed the windmill tower and hung on while unbolting the head. Yes, it was very windy and I was very nervous!

The NASTY RAT and the Bird.....

This is the momma bird who has chosen our chicken coop to build her nest and lay her eggs. I am thinking she didn't do her research..after all it is ironic that she would lay her eggs in the place our birds lay theirs. I just don't think she realized that we don't let the chickens keep their eggs...I think I will let her keep hers! :)Her nest. The eggs, this isn't a great picture but it is the best I could do...after all I was reaching up on my tip-toes to stick my camera in there for a picture.
WARNING THE FOLLOWING PICTURE IS NASTY!
I came home this morning from taking my sister to the airport. I found the dogs had killed one of the turkeys and had scattered the other 3 around the yard. It is cold and windy today with rain and sleet. (2 days ago it was 90 degrees and today it was 37 degrees 2 hours ago.) I went out to gather up the turkeys and get them in the coop. I found 2 but couldn't find the last one. I heard it peeping...I finally thought to check behind the dog house. I came face to face with a RAT! I quickly checked the other side of the dog house and sure enough there was the turkey. I ran in the house and grabbed the pellet gun. I shot that stupid rat. Then I gathered the turkey up and took it to the others. I then had to go get the hoe and scrape the rat out from behind the dog house. This is a picture of it good and dead! (I wanted a picture for proof for Wilfred!) YUCK!

Say Cheese! ...

Lindsy loves to run around the yard. We always have to shut the front gate or she will take off. The picture is blurry but you can still see her grin!
A drink break. Playing outside in 90 degree heat is hard work! (I am not sure what is up with Clayton he would not smile...he would only squinch up his face.)

This is the backhoe Wilfred rented to bury Levi. I got to drive it some!
I had some help driving!

Sad day....

I don't have any pictures for today, but I did want to let everyone know that My 'older man' Levi passed away last night. He was 29 if not a bit older. We have had him since fall of 1999. He sure was sweet and I will miss him. I will try to dig up a photo of him and post it.

Cats....

I am not a fan of Cats but this video is way too funny to not share! Enjoy it.... http://video.stumbleupon.com/#p=fq55ieixwd

Tuesday Morning...

Finally! After all my gripes about the weather here we had a BEAUTIFUL day! It started off Tuesday morning with FOG! Can you believe it, there was actually moisture in the air? I had a moment after Wilfred went to work and before the kids woke up. I spent it outside breathing deep, very deep. It smelled sooooooo good! Here is the chicken coop. This is one of the 3 planters on the front porch.
I scared all the birds away from the feeder on accident. Here are a few that didn't mind me too much. I just stood outside in my jammies taking in the beauty. I loved the sound of the birds singing their morning songs.
Here is our 'Raspberry Row" I know it isn't much to look at now but we have great hopes for these little sticks!
My phenomenal Aspen trees my hubby planted for me. I am so happy to see that they survived the wind and the transplanting.

The only downside to this is after one beautiful day the wind is howling again and the dust is blowing. I am glad I have these pictures to look at!

How Exciting!!!!!!

Sunday: We (Lindsy & then me) got sick last week. That same flu-ish crud that seems to be getting everyone else. (I'll spare you all the details) Anyhow Sunday I was needing out of the house, so Wilfred and I loaded the kids up and went and checked out our 'new' Walmart. While there we saw a great deal on a tent and sleeping bags. (We have been needing to get some for Chugwater anyway.) When we got home Wilfred decided to set it up in the Living Room to make sure that everything was how it should be. Our deprived children have never seen a tent before and boy were they excited! This is Lindsy checking out the tent she wasn't sure if it was really safe to go in or not. Ladies, I understand this picture captured my hubby's hiney quite well however, please just focus on Lindsy. :)
Here is Clayton in 'awe'!

He just had to try out his sleeping bag!!