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!

Bombs Away!

I've had a selfish couple of days, and not in any good way. Ranch work is taking Jason away from me for about three weeks of the last six weeks or so we have here. Really. Right now, he's in LA, working for the boss and then driving the photo truck (belonging to said boss) back to Wyoming, arriving sometime on Wednesday. Having him gone is tough - I get lonely. Every bit of me wants to be there with him, getting a chance to see my family, my best friend, my goddaughter (and going to the DMV to renew my driver's license before it expires would be awesome). Plus, last night was the season casting for the Caroling Company - so I am officially not caroling this season. To top it off, I found out yesterday that Jason would now be driving the photo truck to New Hampshire at the beginning of October for a photo conference. What did I do? I cried. CRIED. Felt sorry for myself because A)I keep getting stuck here alone; B)I love the fall, and would love to make that drive with Jason through States I've never been to and maybe get to stop in Ann Arbor to see my Alma Mater; C)He'll miss our 1 year anniversary or my 29th birthday or both. I was pathetic. Selfish and inconsolable. A total hot mess.

(As a side note - Jason called me from LA today to tell me he spoke with the boss, and I get to make the drive to New Hampshire with Jason and then just fly back to Cody - so at least we'll get to celebrate our anniversary together! He will most likely miss my birthday though. Sad. I'll take the trip with him, though and be grateful for that!)

Man - sometimes I get so wrapped up in me,me,me that I can't even breathe. Or I break into tears about something that is actually trivial. That's one of the problems with me having so much time to THINK while I'm here.

It's amazing how God can put things in perspective. Enter the LoveBomb.

I opened up my inbox today, and found my weekly "LoveBomb" mission. First, let me tell you about LoveBombing. It's a team of people (of whom I am one) who weekly drop love notes and encouragement on the blog of someone who's going through a really tough time. Just so they know that they're not alone and forgotten, that there are others (strangers) out there in the big, wide world who care. Who are willing to send good thoughts, pray, and follow their journey. One week we bombed a guy who lost everything, who's trying to put his life back together by knitting the most precious teddy bears. Another week, a pair of sisters, one donating bone marrow so the other might have a chance at life.

More often than not, though, we drop LoveBombs on parents who have lost or are losing a child. A couple I know lost their precious son last December, and as I have followed their story I've seen how incredible the internet can be for connecting parents who have experienced the same as a kind of support network. I don't think any of us who have never experienced that kind of pain can even fathom their grief, and most of us don't know what we should say.

But sometimes, I think, just hearing that someone, some stranger, has read the story of your child, is so sorry for your loss and is sending love and hugs and prayers across the country/world/cyberspace can make you feel like you're not alone. That you and your child haven't been forgotten.

And it sure as hell makes me remember that all the crap that I've been crying about is merely a pebble in my shoe. It puts everything in perspective.

If it's encouraging and supportive to someone I may never meet? That's the whole point. Because it's not about ME.

Want to get on the LoveBomb train? Click here to go to their webpage and sign up for the weekly emails. Bombs Away! And prepare to be moved and humbled.

Happy LoveBombing!

TGFF!

That's correct - TGFF (not TGIF)! What does that stand for? THANK GOD FOR FOOTBALL!!!!!!!

Jason and I are football junkies. Jason will take any football watching he can get - I mostly tend towards college football. But man... I watch ESPN with Jason like it's going out of style. Jason goes into a sort of Football Depression when the Super Bowl is over and there's no football again until late August. I'm serious about that - he mopes.

Of course, the number one team I'm interested in is MICHIGAN, being that I graduated from there and all. And I swear, a love for Michigan Football comes with the degree.

That said, the last few years of Michigan Football have been, well, ROUGH. Now we have a new coach, we still have Denard "Shoelace" Robinson (arguably one of the most exciting players in College Football - keep your negative comments to yourself), and while still a definite work in progress, the Michigan Defense is starting to show signs of life.

But my love for College Football is not solely given over to Michigan - I will watch any game that isn't a total slaughter. More often than not, you can find me rooting for the underdog, and often you'll find me pissing my husband off with the team I choose to root for.

Still, I'll always back his team, the Florida Gators. Other than that, all bets are off.

This past Saturday, we were released from work early, and Jason and I found ourselves planted in the movie theatre here at the ranch with a cooler, snacks and an entire day of Football to watch. We didn't leave the theatre until at least 9pm. It was all football, all the time. And it was a blast. :)

So, thank God that Football Season is here. I'd say that my husband got lucky that I love the game so much and will willingly sit and watch umpteen games with him, interested all the time.

What else is there to say?

GO BLUE!

I hate the California DMV

My Driver's License Renewal was mailed to my parents house last week - my current license expires October 16. Great - I can renew it online. WRONG. After 13 years of driving and mailing in my Renewal, having them send me a new license without a visit to the DMV, I finally have to go in. Unfortunately, the timing couldn't be worse - I won't return to California until the weekend before Thanksgiving, long after my Driver's License is set to expire.

So, mom sends me the phone number and I call to see if there's any possibility I can get an extension. After all, I don't really want to be traveling back and forth across the United States with an expired Driver's License. Especially one from California. Police in other states LOOOOVE to pull over people in cars with California plates.

Do you know what the wait time is to speak to a human being at the California DMV? 1 hour and 45 minutes. Ewww. I patiently waited for half an hour before my call got disconnected. Now I'm on hold again, and the 30 minutes I already waited are gone - I get to start all over.

So, I think, while I'm waiting, I should be able to send them an email requesting information on the possibility of an extension on my driver's license. Nope. The only option is to wait on hold for an eternity on my day off.

That's right - today is our day off, and I am on hold with the California DMV.

Makes me want to switch to a Wyoming Driver's License. No lines, no waiting, someone to help you right away. I guess that's what comes with living in the least populated state in the Union.

But no, I don't really want to switch my residency - I'm a lifelong resident of California, and at least for now, irregardless of the stupidity/bureaucracy that is the DMV, I'll stay that way.

But seriously? This waiting stinks.

Friends

Since I've been doing a ton of gardening lately, I've also been doing a ton of thinking, and my thoughts are often wandering to friendships - old, new, healthy, dead - and how they got that way.

There's something about Actors, especially, people who move from project to project, working with new people all the time. It's a bit of a bubble, an intense sort of experience that can make dear friends out of people you work with for only a few months. What generally happens is that you move on after the project, get busy, and rarely keep up with those new amazing friends who you connected with. You make new friends, and the cycle continues. I have a million friends like that - people who I genuinely care for, and would go to the wall for if they needed me to right now. But have I talked to them in years? No. Do I still love them with all my heart and wish them the best? Yes. Do I stalk them on Facebook occasionally to find out where they are and see if they're making their dreams come true? Yes. Yes. Yes. Will I ever see them again? Who knows? But they hold a very special place in my heart, and I think about them - not every day (unless I'm gardening and stewing on friendships) - but often.

There are the friendships that you choose to let go along the way - the ones that are really unhealthy - the people who you dread seeing their phone number pop up. Who, once upon a time, you were so close with, but now... their friendship feels like a sinking ship, or one-sided, or too much work. There's never any FUN in the friendship, it's all doom and gloom and me,me,me. I've had a few of those, and (despite my guilty conscience), have chosen to let those go along the way. Realizing that life is WAAAAY too short to waste any more energy on someone who sucks everything right out of you. Have you experienced one of those friendships?

Then there are those "lifetime" relationships. The kind where, no matter how long it's been, no matter how much you've both changed or how much "life" has happened during the in-between, you pick the relationship up right where you left it off. Most of us can count those friendships on one hand. I'm blessed - I can count them on two. And because these are such unique, special friendships - they understand when I haven't called them in months, as do I understand when they've been MIA, living their life. And I know that when the time is right, we'll connect again and it will be good, so good.

As I get older, I realize that I have fewer and fewer friends that I keep up with regularly. But the quality of the relationships that I still have is so much deeper, even when we don't see or talk to each other often. And you know? I'm okay with that. I'm okay with a few good friends.

You know what else? It's time to put in a little more effort with the ones I care about.

What's next?

It's been five months since we started our adventure, in another two months we'll be done.

So... What's next for Jason and Erin?

Well, I'm so glad you asked!

Our original plan was to be here in Wyoming only until the end of August. In May we found out that there was a mistake in the dates and that we'd be here until "sometime" in October. Right now, that looks to be somewhere around October 24. What this meant for me was the loss of my caroling season since rehearsals start in September. What this meant for us was that we'd be able to save even more money!

Since we don't have to rush back to California so I can get to caroling rehearsals (don't get me started, every time I think about the fact that I won't be singing this season I want to cry), we decided to go with the original plan and spend some time footloose and fancy free on vacation.

From Wyoming, we'll head to Orlando, FL to spend a couple of weeks with Jason's family. How quickly we'll drive there depends on how late in October we finish up here at the ranch. Nov 5 we board a cruise ship for a week in the Eastern Caribbean (this will also be our One Year Anniversary Celebration, a month late!).

We'll come back, spend a few more days with Jason's family and then head back across the United States, arriving in LA the week before Thanksgiving.

We'll spend Thanksgiving through Christmas with my family in LA, where hopefully I'll be able to pick up some sub work, both caroling and teaching, and Jason will pick up work of some kind.

After Christmas? It's BACK across the US to Florida (with Indy in tow). We'll go on ANOTHER cruise, this time in the Western Caribbean, for Jason's Aunt Irene's 80th Birthday Bonanza!

After the cruise, we'll fly to Paris (leaving Indy in Orlando with his Grandma and Great Grandma) for a week of Museums and Food and Photos. From Paris, we're off to South Africa and Bridges of Hope (click the link and go check it out!) to spend two weeks working in any way they need and visiting with my dear friend Steph!

We'll fly back to Florida, pick up Indy and our car, then drive BACK across the US to Los Angeles for a few weeks with my fam before we....

....come back to Wyoming for another Season at the Hawkeye.

Obviously, these are just PLANS. Plans change all the time, but I thought it was time for an update. :)

Hope all is well where you're at!

And here are some photos from the last week or so at the ranch!

Harvested onions curing before they can be used.

Yukon Gold Potatoes, fresh from the ground.

Indy, as I found him in our bed.