Harvesting

Growing season is ending here in Wyoming (even with our ongoing Indian Summer), and since Jason and I are headed off on our work road trip tomorrow, I had to hurry up and harvest some more veggies. There have been some definite surprises in the veggie patch this week, along with some really cool Cauliflower.

I dug up the rest of the potatoes yesterday, and came up with this one - J is for Jason! I ran over to show Jason his special potato, but he was less than impressed. I still thought it was pretty cool, though!

Then, today when I was pulling out a zucchini plant that hadn't been very productive and was WAAAAAY overgrown, this sucker showed up:

To give you some perspective, that zucchini weighs 5 pounds and his ginormous. I guess I know why the plant wasn't very productive - all it's energy was going into that one zucchini!

Then, I finally harvested the Romanesco Cauliflower. Chef Tony specifically requested these babies, and they're pretty incredible looking. They're "fractal", meaning that no matter how close or how far away you look at them, the smallest nodule mimics the whole. Maybe Wikipedia can help explain it better: "Romanesco broccoli resembles a cauliflower, but is of a light green color and the inflorescence (the bud) has an approximate self-similar character, with the branched meristems making a logarithmic spiral. In this sense the broccoli's shape approximates a natural fractal; each bud is composed of a series of smaller buds, all arranged in yet another logarithmic spiral. This self-similar pattern continues at several smaller levels." In the US, it's actually called a Cauliflower, because it looks more like one, but it TASTES like broccoli. Whatever - it's incredible looking, and I'm very excited to have grown it!

Alright! Well, those are the updates from the Ranch. Tomorrow? We're planning on driving about 750 miles to Sioux Falls, South Dakota. That's a LOOOOONG drive!

Back to the Bunkhouse

Yes... we are back in the bunkhouse. Today we had a day off (owed from last weekend), so we went to town for breakfast and to check out a couple of photo galleries. Then we came back and made the move. I forget how much "stuff" we have with us! I'll have to be really organized in getting it all packed up to travel in a month. Jason took advantage of the opportunity to mostly pack up his clothing. After all, he'll only be here until he leaves on his road trip September 29. After that, he'll be here a few nights at the most when he returns from his trip, and then we're off to Florida with the dog and the hummer.

The bonuses on the move to the bunkhouse? DirecTV. Oh yes - no more DVDs and Hulu (although that may continue as well...). Also, the heater in our cabin was hooked up to a smallish propane tank, one that runs out on occasion or on which the pilot will go out unexpectedly. By moving back into the bunkhouse (which has central heat), we eliminate the need for anyone to have to come and help me every time the wall heater needs service. Plus, I'm not out on the edge of the ranch buildings like we were - and with Coyotes very present on the property, plus the occasional bear or wolf, I'll be a little more comfortable alone for three weeks.

So, we're back in the bunkhouse. This is the beginning of the end of our season. Wow.

Oh! And quick update, my parents' visit to the ranch for my birthday has been approved! Hooray!

Indy doesn't care much where he sleeps, as long as Froggy is with him!

Napoleon and Bertha

If you haven't noticed, I happen to make up names for the critters around me - whether they already HAVE names or not. For example, I named the baby Robin that I kept discovering in strange places "Waldo" as in, "Where's Waldo?". I also rarely call our dog Indy by his name, mostly I call him SmellyPants. He likes it. :)

One of my duties here on the Ranch (aside from gardening and housekeeping) is birdfeeding. I keep the feeders stocked with Wild Bird Seed, and keep the nectar in the Hummingbird Feeders fresh. This works out well because I'm a bird watcher. No - not one of those obsessive folks with crazy binoculars, but someone who enjoys watching them interact, hop around and take off in flight. They amuse me! Especially fascinating are the hummingbirds, with their tiny little bodies, loud chirps and super-speed. This summer, we had one particular hummingbird who declared himself "Dictator of the Porch and it's Feeders". Seriously - this little guy was a bully. I watched him every day - he would sit in the same spot in the same Aspen tree where he had a view of all the feeders. If another hummingbird dared to try and approach one of his feeders, he would swoop out of the tree, chirping like a maniac and chase them off. Every single time. It never failed. Once he'd accomplished his goal, he'd take a drink from his feeder and then go back to sit in his tree. Because he was so small and angry, I named him Napoleon. I can't think of a better name for a little hummingbird dictator, can you? Unfortunately, I was unable to catch Napoleon in action with my little point and shoot, although I tried my darndest. I would get the camera all primed and ready, would sit and wait, and the camera would go to sleep. Then and only then would Napoleon attack. What a little stinker! Anyhow, if you are curious about what I'm talking about (i.e. When Hummingbirds Attack), check out this montage some guy put together. Alas, the Hummingbirds all started their flight South two weeks ago, but the memory of Napoleon lives on.

Now, part of gardening is dealing with insects and spiders. There are good bugs and bad bugs, and some of the "good" bugs are ones that most of us don't like: spiders, centipedes, bees. I'm pretty sure you knew that bees are beneficial insects, based on their pollinating skills alone. That doesn't mean you don't get nervous when one chases you. The other day, I was in front of the lodge with Heidi, looking at all the perennial plants that are basically done with their season, and I saw a seriously fat bumble bee with it's butt sticking out of a Snapdragon. It was rooting around in there, happy as a clam, and I thought it was just too cute. The next day it was visiting the same plants, and I thought - hmmm.... I think I'll name it Buddha cause it's round and happy. WRONG. Yes, that little sucker is fat on pollen, but she has chased me several yards EVERY DAY for the past week because I dared to walk past her and interrupt her pollinating time. Chased. And we're not talking about a little honey bee - we're talking big, fat bumble bee - the kind that make children and adults scream in terror. No, she has not yet stung me, but has continued to give chase. And I'm telling you - I don't even stop to check her out - I just walk past and sure enough... Bee Chase! Because of her bad attitude, I decided that she couldn't be named Buddha after all. Instead, I've named her Bertha, which seems appropriate for her size and temperament. (Note - I have never actually met anyone named Bertha, and hope that I haven't inadvertently offended you with a negative use of the name!)

So there you have it - Napoleon, Bertha, Waldo and SmellyPants. All appropriately named. :)

September Update

It’s been awhile since I’ve really written about life here on the Ranch - mostly because I don’t want to bore you with the same ol’ stories all the time. But I definitely have some catching up to do!

We have OFFICIALLY made it through the guest season! Our last big group of guests leaves the ranch tomorrow, and we just have a few people trickling in and out in the next few weeks. Three women will be in this next weekend and two men in late October (just before we leave). There may be a few others, but that’s really it. Wow!!!!! So now we’re working in reverse - moving from the outdoor kitchen back indoors (thank goodness - the days have been getting cold), closing down some of the cabins for the winter season and “mouserizing” them. (That’s a new verb - it means preventing the mice from nesting in the linens). Getting ready to pull all of the flowers as their season ends. Pulling up what isn’t cold-weather hardy in the garden. Basically, undoing everything that’s been done. We may even be moving back into the bunkhouse so they can shut off the water to our cabin, although the verdict is still out on that one.

Speaking of gardens, did I tell you that we had our first frost on LABOR DAY?! I mean, I know we’re in Wyoming, but sheesh! It snuck up on me and killed the squash plants, the peppers, the beans and half of the outdoor tomato plants. Bummer. The good news? The Cauliflower are still growing (crossing my fingers that they get large enough to FINALLY harvest); the beets, carrots, celery root, potatoes, onions and peas were totally unharmed; and through some major fluke, the frost missed the melons, which were saved because they’re pressed up against the glass of the greenhouse. There are some decent sized melons on the vine right now, and I just hope I get at least one of them ripened. Even without threat of frost I’m covering them with plastic at night now - they like warmth.

I am very excited to report that I harvested my first potatoes this weekend, and Tony served them as part of his seven course meal. They were Yukon Golds, mashed, and so beyond buttery - if you’ve never had fresh dug potatoes before, you’ve never really HAD potatoes. The flavor is incredible! Something about the fact that I actually GREW POTATOES makes me preen a little. Which is totally silly considering that potatoes are the EASIEST plant I’ve ever grown. Put em in the ground, make sure they get some water every couple of days, and when the plant starts producing blooms, you know that there are some thin-skinned “new” potatoes to be dug up. If you’d rather, you can wait until the plant withers and dies, and just dig up potatoes as you need them. The longer you leave them in the ground, the hardier their skins get. Seriously - plant em, give em some water and dig em up. And you can even do them in barrels or trash cans if you want - they take up very little space, and it’s so exciting to dig them up!!!!!

I am ALSO excited to report that I harvested my first eggplants last week. Why am I excited? Well... eggplant is a tropical veggie and likes really warm temperatures. And we’re in Wyoming. Wyoming is ALWAYS cold at night, plus we only had about a month of nice, warm weather this summer. By keeping the Eggplant inside the greenhouse where it’s nice and toasty, and keeping them in pots instead of raised beds, I was able to keep the plants warm enough to produce fruit. As Sheldon Cooper (from one of our favorite shows - THE BIG BANG THEORY) would say... “Bazinga!”

Indy chased one of the cats up a tree this week - again. He reports that it was a total blast and he’s very disappointed that he didn’t get the cat this time. (I was rooting for the cat’s escape - I just can’t tell Indy that, it’d break his heart). He also would like me to tell you that he caught a bird and a mouse in the garden this week and couldn't understand why his mama wasn't thrilled with his dead, mangled treasures.

Last weekend, while all the boys were out of town, Kimmie and I went to a fundraiser for the Valley School - it is a modern, one-room schoolhouse that serves the Upper Southfork. They're raising money for a new playground set, and Heidi and J.W.'s kids will attend school there, so we thought we'd go support them. Great classroom (recently remodeled), and only 7 students in 5 grades. Yes, America, there are still one room schoolhouses. And you know what? The kids at schools like that get to have things like this tepee set up for them. How cool is that? What did you do for recess today? Played in the tepee! I only ever got to stay in a Tepee at Girl Scout Camp in 2nd Grade, and I came home a week later with mats in my hair and wearing the same underwear I wore when I left. (TMI, I know... but in 2nd grade you have better things to think about than changing your underwear or brushing your hair!)

The tepee in the process of being put up. They put it together traditionally - it was very cool to see!

Jason and I are getting ready to head off on our “work” drive to New Hampshire. I should know exactly which day we’re headed out soon. What I do know is that Jason is dropping me at the Airport in Albany, NY on October 5 so I can take four different flights to get back to Cody. What I also know is that we should be making a brief detour through Ann Arbor so I can see my Alma Mater for the first time since I graduated. This way we get to celebrate our 1st Anniversary together (something that I think is VERY important), and I get to get off the ranch for a few days (also important since I’m getting a little itchy to get going right now)! This also means that Jason will almost certainly miss my birthday (his trip continues to several different cities), but since it’s just my 29th I can deal. If it was my 30th? We’d have a problem. :) Either way, he’ll probably be back on the ranch around October 18-19, a week before it’s time for us to finish up and head for Florida.

Speaking of my Alma Mater, Michigan is now 3-0. Go Blue!

Hmmm... what else? We’re really getting excited for our fall/winter adventuring and are considering trading our week in Paris in January for a week of scuba diving in the Florida Keys, the Bahamas or Cabo in February. We are still planning on two weeks in South Africa at the end of January. Then, to fill both of our desires to go back to Europe, we’re talking about a couple weeks of traveling on the cheap to several countries (including France) next Fall after we finish our season at the Ranch. Who knows how it will all pan out, but both Jason and I are fully committed to embracing our adventure while we are footloose and fancy-free!

So that’s it for this longer than intended update - Check back for the tales of Napoleon the Hummingbird and Bertha the Bee!

The Pack Trip that Almost Wasn't

For months (literally since April 1), I've heard talk around the ranch of, "When we go on our pack trip, we'll..." The pack trip was supposed to leave at 4:30am on Friday. At 5:30am, when Jason woke me up - again - and dropped off his suitcase in our cabin, I knew that something had happened. You should go read his account of it, because it really was a no good, very bad day.

It was even bad for me. I was happy to have Jason around for another day, but really, I was totally bummed that the boys weren't gone, might not even go and I would lose the chance for a couple of days of peace and relaxation which I desperately needed. (WOW - talk about a run-on sentence!)

Fortunately for me (and Jason who REAAAALLLLY wanted to go), they finally left on Saturday morning after a drastic change of plan and shortening the trip by two days. They rode out from the Ranch about 10am, headed up the Deer Creek (aka Widow-maker) trail into the Thoroughfare, where three rivers meet and flow down to form Yellowstone Lake - at least to my understanding.

Me? I saw them off, and then hauled butt to get ready and go to town for a haircut, which I desperately, DESPERATELY needed.

Then I proceeded to HULU myself (and Indy) to death for the rest of the day and this morning, catching up on the last four weeks of So You Think You Can Dance (which I love). Indy was not as enthused about the dance show as I was, but I think he enjoyed the snuggle time. :) And when he wasn't snuggling, he was chasing flies, so I'd say he's pretty happy. Personally, I took a break to Skype with Solange and to sleep. Otherwise - it was about 8 solid hours of dance. Love it. :)

Me? After a day and a half off, being totally irresponsible and watching WAAAAAAAAAAAY too much TV, I feel... GREAT. :)

Back to work tomorrow!

Buried in Tomatoes

Yesterday I opened up my email to find the sweetest message from my dear friend Jessi who wrote, "I hope the blog absence means you're just crazy busy and off having adventures, and does not indicate that you've been burried under pounds of beautiful tomatoes or lost in a sink of sudsy water in dirty dish purgatory." I just started laughing since I actually have been buried under pounds of beautiful tomatoes and lost in dirty dish purgatory.

All that goes to say that the last three and a half weeks have been INSANE here on the ranch. We're exhausted. And that's the truth. The good news? We're in the home stretch of madness, with a party that starts tonight (Friday) and ends in the wee hours of Sunday morning.

Yes - you read that correctly. This is a 36 hour party. Needless to say, our bosses can throw a serious shindig.

But after that shindig? This group of guests leaves on Sunday, and then we have a couple of guys trickling in slowly throughout next week, getting ready to leave on their pack trip next Friday.

What am I going to do when all the guys head off for their week long pack trip? Sleep. Water plants. Clean slowly. Get a massage and a hair cut. And spend some quality book time in a hammock.

Can't wait.

In the meantime? I offer this as proof that I am actually buried under pounds of beautiful tomatoes. I harvested two HUGE baskets of the suckers today. Here's one of them:

Thank God Tony likes to use lots and lots of fresh tomatoes. :)

My snack break is over and it's back to work I go with the help of another cup of coffee. (Hi-ho!)

End of July

I cannot believe that it's the end of July. We've been here for four months, and are about to start our fifth. It's really crazy!

We are two weeks into our busiest stretch of the season. We still have two weeks to go, and then all the boys leave for their pack trip which means... SPA DAY FOR ERIN! Seriously... I can't wait. We just have a lot of ranch activities planned before I'll get to go.

In other news, Indy now hunts trout. Go check out Jason's Blog for the full story - I wasn't there, so I really can't tell the story like he can!

I was really stressed out a few weeks ago, when I thought that I was going to be alone doing ALL of the gardening and ALL of the housekeeping when Savannah and Robbie both leave in the next two weeks. I was seriously freaked out - I hate feeling like I'm always running to catch up on something, and that is exactly what I was headed for without help. Fortunately, we now have Kim on the ranch - she works really hard and is super detail oriented. AND I don't have to check up on her work, so she's really taken an enormous amount of stress off of my shoulders. I'm so grateful that she's here. Our new wrangler (to replace Savannah) will arrive this weekend, just as Savannah gets ready to leave.

The days (and weeks) are long, but the guests have all been really nice people, so that makes it easier. I can honestly say that I'm still seriously sick of doing dishes, but there's no hope for that, and I'm certainly not doing as many as I used to.

And that, my friends, is the end of July wrap up! Hello, August!

Where's Waldo? and other adventures

Howdy-ho, neighbor!

Thought I'd update you on the many adventures we've been having here in Wyoming. This past weekend, we got to visit with my parents again, and with my sister and brother-in-law who were in West Yellowstone, too! Separate blog to come!

Life is busy as always here on the ranch. Here are a few of the high/lowlights we've been experiencing.

-After months of winter weather, it's damn hot here! I try to garden in the morning while it's not smoldering hot and work in the shade or inside during the afternoon.

-All the baby birds have hatched out in the last month or so. There's this baby Robin that keeps popping up in my flower pots and the greenhouse all over the property. He's surprised Jason, too. So I've named him Waldo, and everyday I play the game, Where's Waldo? (Disclaimer - I have no proof that this is the same Waldo every day, I just like to think it is and will continue to think so!) I never have my camera on me when Waldo pops up - wish I did - he's so stinkin' cute!

-We are living in moth and cotton hell. The moth hatch happened two weeks ago, and since then we have literally been living in moth hell. Every day I vacuum them up, and the next day there are a hundred dead ones on the floor - again. Last night when we got home, there were a thousand (this is not an exaggeration, folks) moths flying around in our cabin. Our solution to get rid of at least 50% of them? Turn off all the lights in the cabin, turn ON the porch light and open the door. The other solution? Indy. He thinks it's a game. All night long you hear the tap, tap, tap of his little feet dancing as he catches them, crunches them to death and drops them on the floor. I lifted up his dog bed last week and found a moth cemetery under there. It's really disgusting, and I usually find bugs pretty cool. This is approaching horror film status. Hopefully the population will decrease shortly.

-As far as cotton hell goes, the cottonwood trees are all doing their annual cotton shedding. It looks like it's snowing, but it's 90 degrees out. There's "snow" all over the ground and it gets stuck in the treads of your shoes and the dog's paws. Then it gets tracked into the cabin and mixed with the dead moths. Another reason to vacuum and sweep everyday. I'll take the cotton over the moths any day, though!

-Indy is officially an off-leash ranch doggie! He now walks to and from the greenhouse and garden (and elsewhere around the ranch) while off-leash! He spent the whole weekend with family off-leash! The only thing he can't do is roam on his own all day like the other dogs without me watching him - we're working towards that, though. AND our sweet Indy, who has always HATED water has suddenly become a lab or a retriever - he chased a buoy in Quake Lake at least thirty times on Sunday! Here's a little video of him thinking he's a lab:


-We are in the countdown to three weeks straight of guest madness.

-Just found out that they're hiring two new girls - one to spend the day in the kitchen with Tony, doing dishes and helping with meals and another to take over Savannah's job when she leaves for school in a few weeks. This means that I will still have HELP, even after Savannah and Robbie leave. :) Sweet, blessed relief.

-Most of the big flower barrels are really looking gorgeous. Here's my favorite:

-Check out this Zucchini I found growing UNDER the Squash Plant - It's next to a normal one in the photo so you can get perspective. Then the next photos are bell peppers and beets!

-Do you remember THIS BARREL? Here it is again!

So that's the quick(ish) update on life here in Wyoming! Check back for a post on our weekend with the fam!

Mom and Dad

We were so happy to have my parents stay at the Ranch for a few days this past weekend. They came in on Friday and headed out on Monday.

Dad on Hawk, Me on Goldie, Mom on Chewie and Savannah on Apache.

Fortunately, the Ranch was guest free and the bosses were very kind to let them come and stay in one of the cabins. They even got to have Tony's amazing food! We had Saturday and Sunday off which meant lots of quality time with my parents.

Jason stole my dad a lot for "man time", but who can blame him? I don't know anyone who doesn't love my dad, and Jason has really grown attached to him. It's really cute. :)

We talked, ate, played cars, spent hours in Wal-Mart and explored Cody. We even went out on a beautiful trail ride with Savannah for a few hours - the best way to see the territory around the ranch! Jason is practicing his documentary photography skills on horseback in preparation for the Pack Trip he's going on in August so I have lots of shots of our ride together! Thanks, honey! The only bummer is that Jason isn't IN any of the photos.

It was so great to have Mom and Dad here - I've been in low spirits since they left - I didn't get homesick until I saw them.

Something else to look forward to? My sister Kelli and brother-in-law Jeff flew in to West Yellowstone today for a week with my parents. Jason and I are headed there on Saturday and will spend part of Saturday and most of Sunday with them. Can't wait!

Jason the Mugger

This video is loooooong overdue! Jason has been learning an amateur rodeo event called "Double Mugging". If you want to know more about it, you should read his account in his blog!

So, without further ado, here's a video I shot almost two weeks ago of Jason practicing his double mugging - Enjoy! (And pardon my laughter!)

Three Months Later

...and three months (or so) to go...

We're halfway through our time here at the ranch. Time has flown! Some days are much better than others, but on the whole this has been the best thing we could have done - for us as individuals, for our marriage, for our dog, and for our financial situation.

Things that I have learned are varied (and I mean WAAAAAAAY varied), but here are some of my favorites:

-Fresh Sweet Peas off the the vine are one of the most delicious things around. And you have to understand, I hate Peas. I have ALWAYS hated peas - frozen, from a can, whatever - the texture makes me gag (just like beans). But fresh? Straight off the vine? Absolutely delicious. To quote one of my favorite movies, JULIE AND JULIA, they are "A revelation". (We're watching it right now!)

-When your five star chef gets really excited about how good the carrots you grew in the greenhouse, it's quite a compliment and a sign that you're doing something right.

-Life gluten free can be very exciting. Especially with a chef to cook for you. But gluten free pizza - even a good dough and a pizza cooked in a wood fired pizza oven - is still never as good as the gluten-full pizza of your dreams. It does suffice, though!

-Doing five hours of dishes in a day can turn me into the devil's female cousin. With horns.

-Putting flowers out in a windstorm is preferable to leaving them in a greenhouse where they may get eaten by aphids.

The whiskey barrel of flowers from this post, all grown up, and seriously wind blown. Not everything is in bloom yet, and I have some work still to do to get it tamed. The other barrels are prettier at this point. I'll have to take some photos of them, too!

-I hate Aphids. Last week was the Great Aphid War of 2011. I am tentatively (not decisively) declaring victory. :)

-Chipmunks like to eat beets. Who knew? I'm still trying to catch the chipmunk alive. He gets a few more days and then the mousetraps are coming out and it's Sayonara, Chunky.

-Sometimes, something as simple as giving yourself a pedicure and making your husband rub your feet to complete the experience can make you feel like a different person.

-Rodeos are fun. :) The boss buys a whole bench for the four days of the Cody Stampede each year. Last night, they gave the tickets to the staff and we went in to town, had greasy burgers (bunless for me) and went to the rodeo. It was awesome. (The Cody Stampede is regarded as the best PRCA - Professional Rodeo Cowboys Association - Rodeo in the United States every year.)

-Indy's still an escape artist and can't be trusted off leash. He spent today with his leash tied to the Rope Swing at the pond while Jason worked on the windmill. After his adventure in the Steer Pen and nearly getting killed trying to herd the steer, he's leash-bound indefinitely.

-14 year old boys in a golf cart will make you crazy.

-Looking forward to visits with family can make all the difference in your mood! Tomorrow we meet Jason's brother Rob and his girlfriend Kate in Yellowstone, where we will camp for the night and hike on the 4th. This coming Friday, my parents will arrive and stay on the ranch for a few days. The week after, Kelli and Jeff fly in to stay with my parents in West Yellowstone and we get to spend some time with them. It's a family filled few weeks!!!!!! I can't wait!

-I'm starting to feel my creative juices flowing again. I've agreed to help Heidi with her rhythmic abilities (i.e. learning the dances on her Dancing with the Stars exercise DVD) and to teach a few of the guests to line dance. That's a step (hardy-har) in the right direction, I'd say!

-The best ice cream in the world is made right here on the ranch by our chef - Salted Caramel. It's like ice cream crack and is literally the best ice cream I've ever had. It's "lick the ice cream container so no drop gets wasted" good. You should be jealous. It's a good thing I'm going to be dancing with Heidi.

-And last, but certainly not least, my husband rocks in so many ways. :)

Here's to July and sunny, warm weather here in Wyoming. Hope your new month is beautiful, relaxing and rewarding!

More than a week?

Since I've blogged?!

Seriously - the days have FLOWN. We're in the last few days of our first round of guests here at the ranch, and life has been a whirlwind.

The guests are great people and fun to be around. Man, am I tired, though! Because I'm such a zombie still, I'm going to save a REAL post for a few more days and just show you some more of the things that make me happy around here. :)


OH! The flowers finally went out last Wednesday, and look GORGEOUS, dahhhhling! And I got to go for a horse ride with our wrangler (Savannah) today while the guests were all off on a fishing expedition.

And it was sunny and didn't rain today. :) Life is good!

Small update: After dinner, one of the dogs, Buddy, got his leg stuck and we think it's broken in multiple places. They've run him into town to the Emergency Vet, but I'm really worried about him. He's an old golden retriever with arthritis, and the sweetest dog. I'm partial to him after sharing the bunkhouse with him for two months. So... please say a prayer that sweet Buddy will be alright. Thanks!

The red, white and blue window boxes ready to go out on the lodge.

The Pink and Purple window boxes ready to go out on the Deer Creek Cabin.

Heirloom tomatoes, fresh from the garden. :)

Happy Zinnias - do you see the little stars surrounding the center?

Little Tristan's outfit this morning - THREE skirts, and under the skirts and fuzzy jacket, two bathing suits and a pair of too small leggings. My kind of girl! (I love it when they pick out their own outfits!)

What Makes Me Happy

If you read my blog you already know it's been a rough/busy week or so. Instead of harping on that (cause who wants to hear it anyway?), I thought I'd share images of some of the things that make me happy around here! (And truth be told, even when it's a bit of a crappy week, we're still VERY happy here!)

Visiting Yellowstone and Teton with Jason.

Hiking to places like this!

Crazy looking zucchini from the garden.

Hammocks and lawn chairs around a fire pit.

Cosmos. Ain't she sweet?

Fat, happy sunflowers.

Seeing all these blooms every day.

Blue Bachelor's Button Cornflowers like this little guy.

Green leaves returning to trees.

Clean cabins ready for guests.

Fat little Robins that make me feel like Mary in the Secret Garden.

And these guys...

New Cabin!

Okay... It's not perfectly spotless (and truthfully in life is anything ever perfectly clean), but here it is!
View from the front:

The next four photos are clockwise from the front door:

Looking in from the front door

Walk in closet and shelving:

Shower:

Sink (that's our little water heater underneath - super hot and enough for one LOOOONG shower!):

So that's our little cabin! We're really happy in it!