Wow what a week!

I'm almost glad my summer is winding down.  Not really.

Last weekend we ventured out to visit the small ranch of one of Jody's buddies from work.  They raise miniature Hereford cattle, or as Jody calls them, "wee cows".

It's hard to tell that some of them were any smaller than regular cows because there were no standard cows around to compare them to.  Until of course this fully grown year old bull comes up to us to be hand fed by the owner's wife (who was a petite woman of about 5ft tall.)

 This little week old calf was smaller than the dog in the background of the picture above.  I wish I could have picked it up, but it's mamma wouldn't let us near it.

Sunday I spent the day weaving, which meant that I got my money's worth from the Chiropractor on Monday.  Yeah, I'm addicted!

Monday afternoon I met up with Michael and Di at Central Market in Dallas.  They were in town for some medical appointments, they are both doing FANTASTIC, and continue to surprise their conventional Doctors with their success of combining conventional and alternative medicine.

After stocking up on groceries at a REAL grocery store (which they have to travel hours to get to from the ranch) we made our way to the ranch. 

Di led us through the back streets of Dallas, down roads that I wasn't even sure which direction I was heading.  Eventually we went across THE BRIDGE.  More than likely the one and only time I will go over THE BRIDGE. 

From there we hopped on I-30 and were west bound and down in a race to keep $300 worth of food from being cooked by the sun in the back of a pick-up on a 100+ degree day.

Right about the time we topped Ranger Hill this is what we ran into....

the first of two big Thunderstorms.  Not fun in a car like mine that only weighs 2000 lbs and is equally balanced front to back.  Add a lot of water to a hot oily road and we have an adult version of slip and slide.  It can get pretty nerve wracking.  As quickly as these storms pop up, you will drive out of them and back into the blistering West Texas heat.

 

Once we turned off I-20, I put the top down on my car and I flew down the Farm-to-Market Road doing 80 toward the ranch, love it!   We made it to the ranch right about sundown.

It was very cool out by the pool the next morning so I didn't stay out there long.  The 40 degree temperature fluctuation at night is something I miss about West Texas.

Michael and I headed to the garden early to pick some things that  Sebastian hadn't gotten the day before M and D hadn't been home in a week and to check to see what was left by the grasshoppers.

We have been having a grasshopper problem at the house, Gracie tries to get rid of them for us and does a pretty good job even if she brings them in the house to show off.  Out at the Wee Cow place they were everywhere,  but nothing like what Michael and Di have.

Michael is using a paint ball gun to kill a grasshopper.  Yes, a single grasshopper!

Can you see it?  In the center of this picture?  That is a full size broccoli leaf it has devoured!  The largest one I saw this week was about 4 inches long and 1.5 inches wide!  I don't think you could step on them to kill them like we do here, this is why they use a paint ball gun.   These huge grasshoppers are everywhere, not just in the garden.  They eat any and everything, even the cactus!  They will even eat each other!   So, several times a day we'd take a walk around the yard and shoot grasshoppers. 

Shooting sports aside, my trip to the ranch is mostly about the food!  We can get Mexican food here in the Dallas area, but it just can't compare with real West Texas Mexican Food from a hole-in-the-wall diner.  Tuesday they took me to Sweetwater for Chili Rellenos for lunch.  OMG!  These were the BEST, and they had a certificate on the wall to prove it along with certificates for the best in enchiladas, fajhitas, nachos, etc.  I don't know what the name of this place was, but if you were to drive into Sweetwater, Texas and ask someone where you could get chili rellenos they would send you to this place.

After taking care of some errands and a mail run, we stopped to price a chicken for the yard.  Since Jody doesn't want me to get two real chickens, I thought I could just get one of these large economy sized birds.  Look, it even throws shade!

We spent the next two days cooking (I played sou-chef) and enjoying Di's fabulous meals of halibut, salmon, shrimp, salads, veggies, breads with Irish butter, and of course smoothies and freshly made juices.  This is my idea of a spa trip.  Di even treated me to a facial while I was there! 

I wonder if this Skink had a run in with a grasshopper and lost his tail?

Our last 'hunt' down at the Red House.  Michael even wore his 'hemmet'. 

And I wore a sarong....  I prefer to shoot from the hip, but Michael kept telling me 'use the laser sight'!  I'm pretty deadly with one shot from the hip,  I learned from the best... my bubba.

My last night at the ranch, we finished our martinis out in the yard free of grasshoppers watching the sun set behind the mesquite trees.

I headed back to the big city Friday morning.  We've had a nice restful weekend.  I even looked forward to having red meat (tenderloin) Friday night.  Jody looked forward to it too, as he had been on a week long take out diet. 

Gracie missed me,  she was full of stick-tights from chasing rabbits through the alley.

Last night we had dinner with Mike and Dawn and had a pool throw down.  The Chics still rule!!!  Yes we may have to take a shot of courage my shot comes from a bottle shaped like a crown that's kept in a blue flannel bag,  but we still get the job done.  The guys  still drool. 

Have a great week! 

Buen sabado todo el mundo!

I wake up in Spanish a lot of the time. It's kind of weird, one would think I've been studying all summer. But in fact, I haven't been studying any. I should be studying. I go back to school August 3rd and with Lourdes and Maria in the office now they will be chattering at me all day long. Lourdes can be like my 4th grade teacher sometimes. It's early, and only 80 degrees, maybe I'll study a bit after I finish this post.

I had forgotten to mention to those of you who don't have Facebook. Jolea made it to Newport, RI Monday. She said it was a nice trip. She saw a HUGE pod of dolphins one morning, 100+, she said she was at the helm alone and they just swam past them, single file, it took over 30 minutes for them to pass by the boat. She's spending the weekend in Boston with friends. She's got a new phone and a camera! She'll be back on her boat next week headed for Martha's Vineyard.

Jody is still waiting to hear from 2 of the companies he interviewed with. He said they are being careful, whatever that means. Nita asked last night if he would just get up one morning and say, "I'll see you this evening, I'm going to work." Well YES! That's possible, he doesn't talk much and since the chemo and radiation he talks even less. They really did a number on his throat.

Off to study Spanish.... I'll leave you with a few more pictures from last weekend. I found these that Jeff took:

Jeff took these on his ride to the top of the ridge.

I think the house may be off to the left of this picture.

From the top of the windmill. See those things in the corners of the picture... the windmill blades.

Nita and I wearing wrinkle protection.

Hacemos buen semana! (I think that's right..... I better go study.)

West Texas Pictures part 2.

The backyard at my brother's house. Looking sort of Southeast.

And looking South... see that rise in the center of the picture? That's a huge mesa, Jeff rode his little pit bike all the way over there one day and then called me. I got the binocs and spotted him on the ridge.

Di in the garden. She's very proud of her produce.

As with every first garden, there's always an abundance of something... this year it's squash. We ate squash at almost every meal.

Momma and baby Longhorns were everywhere.

more babies.

They don't even move when you drive up to them.

And if you get too close to the babies they will come after you. I later learned this is the meanest one.

From across the tank.

First catch of the day.

Later Michael and Jeff worked on getting the TV out on the patio.

BEEE-utiful!

So peaceful!

Some may think it's odd to have such fire-power strapped to the dashboard of your jeep. We don't. There was also a rifle mounted just above the sunvisors.

Nice fish! (sorry it's blurry, I was watching for cows.)

That fish broke his $16 fishing pole......

Michael went out to try to get the herd to come up closer...

...and they did, this bull's name is Brisket. I wonder if they have plans for him later on?

Michael and I left the fishermen and went back to the house to prepare breakfast ...

Di was on the phone setting up her next commercial, she produces commercials. I think this one involves Tiger Woods and some sheep.

Voila' breakfast taco, with guacamole, salsa and sour cream and some bacon. YUM!

See they do have some bigger trees on the ranch, it's not all mesquites.

This area is set up for campfires and picnics, with benches and tables, there is a creek just behind those bushes behind Jeff.

Key West may brag about their sunsets, but I think we have something to brag about too.

The next morning Nita and I spotted these two Vinagaroons on a stroll around the outside of the yard.

Wildflowers

There they go again.... off to the tank to fish.

Look! A baby deer! It's at the edge of the water on the right side of the pond.

Michael's house.

This is the 'red' house, where we stayed. It was once a hunting lodge.

Yes, that's a Bobcat. It's a pet of one of Michael's friends. It started storming shortly after this picture was made and put a huge damper on our trip to the lake to watch the Fourth of July Fireworks.

Sunday morning and someone was telling us it was time to go home.... still pouring down raining. I was sitting in the courtyard of the 'red' house looking toward the screened BBQ room.

The Barn Swallows didn't like me being there, but after they figured out that I was going to sit still, they began zooming in and out all around my head. They have the navigation skills of a bat.

Here are some pictures of the inside of the 'red' house. From the kitchen door looking into the dining room with the living room beyond.

Looking from the dining room into the living room.

Another angle of the living room. This house is like a museum. There are thousands of things to look at in here.












Looking back toward the dining room and bar.















Looking into the kitchen from the dining room. That stove was awesome! There are two commercial size refrigerators on the left side of this room. They would put on yearly company parties at this house. They are set up to accommodate around 100 people for a party.








And one last picture for the Meerkat Crew.

That's what I did on my summer vacation. Going to a place like this, sure makes a trip to West Texas worth going.

THANKS Michael and Di for having us at your house for the weekend.