No more

No more shorts and flip flops
when probing the wheat field



to check the moisture level in the soil

Nope we don't need to start the sprinkler just yet.

No more shorts and flip flops when

checking how the corn field
is doing after all the rain and hail storms.

------------------------------------------------------

No more shorts and flip flops
when you help work cattle either.

Why do ask? After all it's summer time mom.

------------------------------------------------------

Daughter # 2 just gave me a call at work to tell


me that she was helping her dad check the pumps this morning,


and was bitten by a bull snake!

Scared the life out her and her worried her mother!


She did have on her shorts with a pair of cowboy boots.


But he bit above her boots. I was assured that no skin was broken, and it


had been thoroughly cleaned.

I'm guessing she won't be getting off the 4-wheeler the rest of the day.


Check your own darn sprinklers dad!

-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

An afternoon on the ranch.

The Life of a Cow Dog

Jessie, she is Cowboy Dave's sidekick.

Even though she is still young and learning,

Jessie keeps the young yearlings

moving up the alley way to be processed.

She is a good cow dog.

Tucker, is still young and not learning

a single thing about how to work cattle.

He prefers the shade and to tag along with

his favorite human sidekick ...

Daughter # 2.

Tucker is always at her side, unless he

is hiding in the corner chewing on unmentionables,

that he has just taken out of the dirty clothes hamper.

We arrived at the processing alley, just after high noon.

Daughter # 2 was recruited to also

be a cow dog.

To keep the new calves moving up the alley way to be processed.

She poked them.

She prodded them.

She said gosh darn it many times.

She whistled a tune or was she scratching her ear?

Notice her trusty side kick at her feet.

Speaking of feet.... flip flops !

Not the usual attire for a cow girl/dog.

She was doing such a fine job of keeping the cattle coming through the chute,

that her dad was able to sit back and supervise.

He actually was cutting the old tags and putting the new tags in.

So he said.

Cowboy Thomas administered the shots.

Hey he isn't supervising, he is branding also.

Don't you just love my finger in the picture?




Cowboy Dave ran the chute and the pour on.

Daughter #2 was working so good that Jessie was able to take a break.

Tucker was trying to figure out what all that "Mooing" was about.

Then the work was done.

A well earned water break was in order for

the cow dogs

and the human sidekicks.

When you don't have your faithful steed to ride out on.

You use the next best thing.... a four wheeler.

Time Flies When You're Having Fun

Hi, my name is Sister One and I am a Mafia Wars addict.

 

I was browsing through Facebook looking to see who

was listed from my graduating class.

I innocently clicked on the link advertising

Mafia Wars just to see what it was. 

It looked interesting so  I set up my mafia and 

played a couple of levels as a family of one: myself.

I needed to recruit friends to play.

It seems that I am the only graduate of AHS

from the class of '81 that plays.

I found an old (she'd dispute that) rep from the days 
of the store  and it turned out that she played. 

I linked to her and just like that my mafia family had doubled! 
Since then my mafia family has grown to 602 strong.

I now have friends in every part of the world.

I've only been playing for seven days, but I am totally, completely hooked.

I check in with my mafia family if I can't sleep during the night.

(It probably doesn't help that I drink Mountain Dew as I play.)

I don't want to do anything but play Mafia Wars.

I definitely don't want to paint.

  

Fortunately we finished last Friday.

Vicki is glad too.  She was getting a bit weary of hearing about the mafia.

We won't even mention what Mardell thinks.

Some mention was made to Sister Two

about taking out a hit.

I don't want to get ready for my trip to Maine.

I don't want to do laundry.

Wait!  That's nothing new.

I don't want to mow the three acres of knee high grass.

I definitely don't want to mow the chest high weeds!

I think I'll go play --- just for a few minutes.

If you want to talk to me, you'll have to join my mafia:

 http://apps.facebook.com/inthemafia/status_invite.php?from=1603023704

Camp Norwesca

 

Everyone in our family has been to Camp Norwesca at one time or another.

Sister One went for Camp Fire camp and was actually a counselor there during one semester of college.  Mardell came from eastern Nebraska to go to band camp there.

Sister Two went for Camp Fire as well.  She also went for the sixth grade trip.

Sister Three probably went for Camp Fire.  But I know she went for the sixth grade trip because I was a camp counselor while she was there.  Man, that was a long time ago!

And now another generation is enjoying the rustic beauty.

Sister Two called me the other day and said that she had a "really big favor" to ask of me.  Could I please, please take Dani to camp?  Umm, let's see .... painting or taking a road trip?  It wasn't a hard decision --- especially since Pat's Creative is on the way home!

Dani was uncharacteristically quiet on the drive up.  She only spoke up to say "Bug Slug"

and to tell us that she saw a flock of wild turkeys.

We missed the wild turkeys --- the only turkey we saw was in our back seat!

It wasn't long at all before we were pulling into the driveway to the camp.

 

Dani got all of her stuff out of the back.

This was all for an overnight camp. 

Can you imagine how much she'd take for a week?

We followed the signage

to the main lodge

where Dani signed in.

Then we took her stuff to the cabin.

  

 

She was in Cabin Six, home of the Wolf Pack.

The boys were in the top cabins and the girls in the lower cabins.

  

Dani chose a bottom bunk, which really surprised me.

Then it was back to the main lodge for the rest of the activities.

We passed what served as the craft cabin when I went to Norwesca.

The dinner bell was still intact as well.

I still like the little chapel in the trees.

She didn't waste any time getting started on the activities.

 

"You can go now.  You've served your purpose."

She didn't actually say this, but I know that she was thinking it!

And to think this is a child who would scream non-stop whenever her mom left her as a toddler!

After completing our appointed task, we were off to Chadron's Evil Empire, which isn't at all evil.  I actually like their store.  I would shop there all the time if it was closer.  It's a good thing it isn't --- it cost me $100 just to take Dani to camp!

I hit the garden center because two full loads of periennials from Ingrid wasn't enough.

I found a juncus plant.

I also got a bee balm, a huge Shasta Daisy, and some more strawberries.

Their plants were absolutely beautiful.

But our real purpose for going to the Evil Empire was to get our favorite treat.

There is nothing better than a frozen Coke.

Except maybe, two frozen cokes.

Then we hit the highway and headed for the quilt store.

We saw this coming down the road.

Twelve times, no less.

I can't begin to imagine where twelve huge tanks were headed.

It was a great trip and I can't wait to see Dani to hear all about it!

New Look

We have worked on fixing the problem to no avail.  The problem was somehow tied into background, so instead we changed the look.  Let us know what you think.  We'll probably be messing around with it for the next week or so until we find something that we really like.
 

I want to say I'm sorry about our current appearance of our web page.

We are trying to remove the photo bucket message on the left hand side of the page.

None of the three sisters use photobucket, so we are not sure how it has

appeared on our site or how to remove it.

Please bear with us.

Thank you

The Three Sisters

Anyone seen Noah floating around?

Finished a meeting at the church last night about 9:00 p.m.

My oldest daughter and myself walked out into the parking lot observing

lightening strikes and an approaching storm moving in fast.

I looked at my cell and notice my husband had called.

Figured it must be do to the storm and returned his phone call.

He reports we have had torrential down pour and lots of hail (all sizes), and to proceed with caution. That should have been my first clue.

I tell daughter #1 we will get something to eat (as we haven't eaten supper yet).

We pull through Subway for a $5 sub and an ice tea (as I am still off of Dr. Pepper)

and we head out.

We every flash of lightening (about 4 seconds apart) I can observe the storm clouds.

On the edge of city limits I decide to go back to the bank and park under the awning

(new pick up +hail = not good).

We sit there for about 10 minutes and nothing but small rain.

I decide we need to get on the other side of the big black cloud.

Because big black clouds = funnel clouds and hail.

Because I never went to college to become a meteorologist

I am so full of wisdom at this point.

We make a run for it.

We live about 18 miles straight west of town and another mile to the north.

Rain drops get bigger and bigger. About three miles out I tell my daughter this probably wasn't the best idea.

Torrential down pour begins, hail of all sizes fall.

Not a good idea. Can not see to turn back, so I keep going thinking I will drive out of it.

Because I missed the part of the phone call with my husband

when he DIDN'T tell me that it was still hailing and raining at home.

The farther from town the worse it got.

Neighbors kept turning into their drives, we kept going.

At several points on the paved road we drove through running water.

Way past committed to going back to town at this point.

Turn on the dirt road (8 miles of it),

because it's down hill at this point, water is running every where.

We trudge slowly through the 8 miles of dirt/mud all the while it's storming full force.

Hail, rain, wind, lightening.

Water was over the road many times, but we kept going

and going.

We turn north onto our lane,

it's about 3/4 of mile to the house.

We drive across the pasture as the

road is completely under water.

I get to the gate at the house and wait for a break in the storm.

Jump out to open the blasted gate.

Leave the blasted gate open, not caring at this point if the cows get into the yard and

eat my garden.

Make a another run to to the house about 500 yards.

Home safe and sound.

Thank god.

At this point it is still torrential down pour and hailing.

Talked to Sister One and they had an electric pole down in

her yard. She lives maybe 20 miles west of me (as a crow flies).

Finally about 11:00 p.m. we go to bed.

The phone is ringing. Look at the clock it's after midnight.

Answer the phone (after finding it).

Our friends are on the way home from the bluff's and are stuck down

by our pivots about 6 miles south west of our house.

Husband drags my tired butt out of bed to go with him.

Daughter # 1 is not staying home by herself.

She comes along.

Daughter # 2 is at camp 60 miles north of us.

We hop in the pickup to go see if we can even get them out with the tractor.

Water is up to the road on both sides but not running over.

We can see their headlights in the distance, we keep going.

We can pull up to a 1/4 mile from them. A raging river between them and us.

We decide to pull into the pasture on the north side of the road.

We are able to drive within 20 feet of them up on the north side of raging road/river.

The pickup is completely surrounded by raging water at this point. They abandon ship and trudge over to us. Leaving their ship stranded until morning.

(they pulled it out with the tractor).

We turn back to the ranch, drop them off and head home again.

We make it home.

By morning light:

Our wheat field (where we rescued our friends and dogs) gone.

Corn field (where we rescued our friends and dogs )..... the verdict is still out.

The radio says our road is closed.

I think they mean it's where we rescued our friends and dogs.

I head out. A short drive from our turn off the road is broken up and not

passable very easily. I make it through.

Thinking I shouldn't have done that. On the other side is the county road sign

stating the road is closed.

Oops.

The following pictures are the roads and fields on the way to town.

From the ranch to about 9 miles east of us is where the most damage is.

The east side being worse than our west side.

(make sense???)

This is a deep draw about 15-20 feet drop on both sides of the road about

six miles east of our turn.

Never have I seen water standing in it. Let alone half full.

A farmer's field about where the neighbors

began turning into their drives the night before.

More ditch water.

Or field water.

Or river water?

Still water across the road this morning.

This is the county road to my boss' home.

He claims to have made it through this morning in his

VW bug.

I don't believe him.

And still more water.

And more water.

I didn't drive through this.

It's actually a north/ south road.

I was traveling on the east/west road.

The forecast for tonight.

More storms.