Trying Out The New Toy And A Cute Quilt Block

Sunday morning we joined Lonn and his dog Lucky for a trip to Blue Lake with Gina and Rollie in their new Artic Cat side by side.  It was a much warmer day than Labor Day weekend when we were bundled up in winter gear—we rode in shirt sleeves for most of the day. 

Fall is on its way to the Boulder Valley, the air is a little crisp in the morning, up the Boulder the pine scent fills the air and color is starting to appear.  It is so incredibly dry right now as you can see in some of our photos but over the next few days we may see some rain and much cooler temps. 

As with everyone we take to Blue Lake, Gina and Rollie loved the trip—it’s a rough journey—almost 60 miles round trip over boulders, rocks, puddles and streams.  Even though we were all just beat when arriving home, we all agreed it was worth every jar and bump!

After a slow start this morning we all got in gear and managed to find some projects to do—before Ashley and Parker had their youngest child, Job, Gina (Ashley’s Mom) sent me a little quilt pattern with lots and lots of paper pieced airplane blocks asking if I had time to make the quilt—at the time I was extremely busy quilting customer quilts and couldn’t commit .  Today we made a trial block—it is adorable!!

The photo doesn’t do it justice—it is a three dimensional block—so Gina and I are off to find quilt fabric—she has found a quilting method she really likes!!

Life is good and we have good friends!

Separate Directions

Well, we have visitors and the visitors have a new toy—the cowboy and I headed off this morning one going east, one going west.  I went west to Bozeman to retrieve Gina and Rollie from the airport, the cowboy went east to Billings bringing home their new Artic Cat Wildcat side by side ATV.  We all met back up in the same place—our place—about 4pm this afternoon. 

It is so good to see these friends—we haven’t seen Gina in two years and neither of them have been to Montana for any length of time for about four years.  We enjoyed catching up over happy hour and dinner—I cooked a tri-tip that was delicious!  And I baked a cream cheese pound cake yesterday—the cowboy isn’t fond of cake so I purchased a cherry pie at the farmers market on my way to the airport.

After dinner and before we enjoyed those spectacular desserts we took a short ATV ride up Elk Creek—a little chilly as the sun had gone behind the mountains. 

More adventures are in the works and I promise lots of photos and movies—maybe we will see the moose again??? 

Well It’s Official

The Crestor is helping and not only helping—my nurse practitioner thinks my numbers are “amazing!”

My overall cholesterol which was 290+ dropped to 151.  I’ve had no side effects and am very pleased!  Even before I received the letter I had used the doctors’ office patient portal to see my “amazing” results—you can log in to your account and get lab results usually the same day—there’s that technology business again!

After our busy weekend it’s been a quiet rest of the week.  Michael has puttered in the garage and I’ve puttered in the house.  Wednesday in the afternoon we went to Livingston for farmers market and then out to dinner at the Rib and Chop House—my salmon was delicious!

Our yoga group is very loose knit—we all know each other well and sometimes there is a little/lot of talking or a little/lot of laughing.  Julia worked us hard today at her house north of town—during one particularly difficult pose which involved strengthening our abdominal muscles, we performed about four of these maneuvers and Max sat up quickly and said, “I don’t want to do any more of those!”  We all had a long fit of the giggles after that one!  I don’t think I would fit well in one of those serious yoga groups!

While I went to yoga Michael visited with his Dad solving the problems of the world and talking a lot of history.  Emmi kept them company and speaking of Emmi—on one of those cool, blustery days we’ve had recently I looked out the window and spotted Emmi working on her suntan—she was so relaxed!

My little rose bushes have finally decided it’s time to bloom--

Another Family and Friends ATV Ride

Sunday of Labor Day weekend dawned cold (35 degrees!!!) and windy but again we didn’t let the weather deter us!  The cowboy loaded the CanAm the night before and about 6:30am (yes, AM) we were rolling down the driveway to meet Lonn and the gang.  Our Sunday destination was the summit of Mill Creek—Michael and I had been there once before but the rest of the gang had not.

Laci, Katie and Lora rode in the RZR, Sarge and Sarah joined us in their RZR, the rest of the guys rode motorcycles--Michael and I brought up the rear.  Dang it was cold!!  I had four layers on top and we had a big blanket wrapped around us and Emmi—still we were none too warm!  But still, we had a great day!

Here’s a short video of us reaching the summit:

Even in spite of the cold, Lora once again enjoyed the ride—she was a smiley baby all day!  At lunch time she sat on the ground keeping us all busy trying to keep the rocks and dirt out of her mouth!

Fall is coming!Standing on the summit of Mill Creek.

Time to head home, no moose Sunday but we all enjoyed the ride!  Back at Lonn’s we made hamburgers on the grill and various other sides, some friends/neighbors of Lonn’s joined us for dinner. 

Birthday flowers.

What a spectacular birthday weekend—I appreciate so much our family and friends—it made turning sixty a breeze!

Turning Sixty

The cowboy and I don’t think we could physically handle my turning sixty again any time soon!  We’ve had such a great weekend and I am feeling very loved, special and blessed!  A surprise party, ATV rides and dinner with family plus phone calls and Facebook birthday messages—turning sixty has turned out not so bad!!  But today on my actual birthday we elected to hang out at home and chill—we are both exhausted!

The weather forecast for the Labor Day weekend was not great—much cooler and rain.  But Saturday we ignored the forecast and met up with Lonn, Katie & Michael plus John, Laci and Lora Elizabeth.  This was Lora’s first time out on an ATV and as her Mom was riding one of the dirt bikes, Lora rode in her car seat strapped in next to Aunt Katie—the driver. 

She likes Aunt Katie—”Aunt Katie made my hat!!”

Gearing up for the cold!

Dirt biking granddaughter Laci.

Off we went, as we neared Box Canyon, it began to sprinkle rain and we stopped to don rain gear—thanks Lonn for the fabulous Christmas present!—by the time we got to Box Canyon it started to pour accompanied by thunder and lightening!!!  Box Canyon is the trailhead for horses/people heading into the back country and there was a newer horse trailer parked there.  Lonn and Michael discovered it had local license plates and was unlocked—we all gathered inside the trailer, sat on the hay bales and waited out the storm which was short lived.  Thanks to whoever owns that trailer—it was a lifesaver! 

We enjoyed a picnic lunch then headed back down the road.  We’ve seen several moose over the years up the Boulder but never one like Mr. Big Moose we saw on the way back to the trucks.  The cowboy and I were bringing up the rear—Lonn and the kids had noticed a jeep parked by this pond and a lady sticking her camera out the sunroof but hadn’t been able to spot anything.  Just as we neared the sharp corner which skirts around this pond I spotted the moose, yelled “MOOSE” and Michael pulled into the parking area beside the jeep.  The people in the jeep had been watching the big guy for about 10 minutes and the moose seemed unconcerned about the paparazzi!! 

Isn’t he cool!!

We had a great day and Lora loved riding in the ATV and being outside.  This was Saturday of my birthday weekend—more adventures to come in the next blog with some cool GoPro footage. 

Was I Ever Surprised

As I sit here trying to write this blog my vision clouds with tears and I can’t think how to put into words how special last night was to me.  My dear friend Jill called a few weeks ago and asked us to dinner on September 3 to celebrate my sixtieth birthday (egads—did I really say sixieth???).  Not once did it enter my mind that it might be anything more than another wonderful small dinner party at Jill and Terry’s home.  The cowboy knew but I sure didn’t suspect a thing!!

Well, when we turned off the highway into their driveway and I saw the number of cars, my stomach did a funny little flop and I said to the cowboy, “that’s looks like way more cars than just a dinner party!” 

And it was!!!  When I got out of the car, the folks on the deck yelled, “surprise.”  I think I was in such shock I didn’t even acknowledge them!!!  Jill with help from Nancy, Jeane, Kerri and Robyn created a birthday party for the memory book!  The decorations were gorgeous—succulents with little turquoise accent rocks formed the centerpieces down the long table set for sixteen people. 

The banner over the window says, Happy Birthday.  Jill and Terry’s home is so gorgeous and gracious—a perfect spot for a birthday party!

Brick homes in our area are rare—Jill and Terry’s home is an old farmhouse (in which Jill’s grandparents lived at one time) and they have lovingly restored it. 

Gwen on the left, Jeane on the right

And the guys solving the world’s problems--

The birthday cake had a southwest/desert/ATV theme—it was adorable!!  Adorned with little sombrero and cactus candles plus a miniature ATV!

 

Jill and Terry’s daughter Kerri carving up the delicious ribs.

On the left, Geoff, Claire and Robyn with Sarge and Sarah on the right. 

George and Shirley.  PJ, Jeane and Steve’s granddaughter dropped by for a few minutes—what a delightful child!from the left, Nancy, me, Jeane, Gwen and Jill. 

I am so incredibly blessed to have this group of special friends and I appreciate so much all the thought, planning and work which went into this fantastic surprise for me—OK, now I’m crying again! 

Poked And Prodded

When you get to be our age doctor and dentist visits become a way of life.  I’ve been a scheduling fool lately, trying to get everything accomplished before we head south for the winter.  I thought a visit with one of my doctors was just going by the wayside as she was fully booked out into middle October.  Luckily her office called with a cancellation for Wednesday—but we all ready had two other appointments on Thursday.

So we did what anyone with two RVs would do—we headed to Billings in the truck and truck camper, spending the night in Katie and Michael’s driveway.  Michael had an evening meeting so I made dinner for just Katie and my Michael.  It was fun to spend some time with Katie and hear about the tribulations of a first grade teacher—have parents lost their minds these days???? 

My visit on Wednesday went well and today’s visits for both of us were uneventful.  The dermatologist had a firm conversation with Michael—he has the type skin which is very prone to skin cancers.  I’m not too happy about the fact the cowboy has a good cholesterol reading and mine is out the roof—what’s up with that???  I am having zero side effects with the Crestor, my lab tests to see if the drug is working are being mailed via snail mail—I haven’t created a “patient portal” as I did for Michael. 

Labor Day weekend is approaching, Wednesday was miserable in Billings, 100 degrees.  Today in Billings it didn’t even reach 80 degrees and here at home it is even cooler.  I sure hope we get some rain this weekend too.  Fall is in the air I think!

And look what little Lora is up to:

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