I Jumped The Gun And An ATV Ride

I jumped the gun!  I am reverting the blog back to the Blogger format for the time being until I educate myself more about changing templates, etc.  I apologize for any inconvenience I may have caused our readers. 

I really appreciate all the comments I received about the new blog appearance.  I’m finding there is a lot you can’t do when you are using a free WordPress template.  Maybe you can do more if you have better computer skills than mine–I’ve searched the templates trying to find the exact one to match what I had with Blogger but I don’t think it exists! Templates which match Blogger templates more closely have white backgrounds.  I want a colored background.  I don’t like how the “Archive” list is so long, I would like to create a drop down menu for that list. I’m not finished and will continue trying to refine what I’ve done so far. 

We were loaded and rolling out of North Ranch by 9am this morning, seven rigs and ten people plus our mascot, Emmi.  Vulture Peak trail head was our destination–we’ve ridden in this area before but some of the group had not.  We were in search of this crested saguaro and it’s companion–

Plus the cave/arch we had found earlier in the season–

The weather was perfect, the company spectacular and the scenery breathtaking!  A very good day.

And speaking of our mascot Emmi–Tuesday we practiced some of Cesar’s–the dog whisperer tricks.  We only left her for thirty minutes but Michael sneaked back over to our yard at about 15 minutes and she was not howling.  We will continue to practice–and hope!

Life is good!

New Blog

Remember all the Live Writer hoopla??  And the complaints about the Blogger format??  I stated several times my intent to move our blog from the Blogger platform to WordPress.  Well-----I’ve started the process several times and given up.  I’m computer literate but not to the point where I can write HTML code or figure out some of the more complicated stuff one of which was how to create a re-direct link. 

If you use the free WordPress platform it does not allow for plugins—which is what a re-direct link is, a plugin.  I really didn’t want to pay for a blog which is basically just my journal—if I was making money from a blog it would be a different story. 

Well, if you are reading this blog you will see I actually was successful in creating a re-direct link!!!  And I’ve started the process of designing the new blog and welcome your feedback.  It’s a long way from finished but at least I’ve started the process.  I was so tired of looking at a word—thinking, “that’s not spelled correctly” and having no spell check in Open Live Writer.  I wanted to make some other changes too which are not possible in the Blogger platform so off we go!

How did I create the re-direct link???—Google to the rescue.  I had Googled “redirect link from Blogger to WordPress” several times and each time hit upon the roadblock of no plugins in the free WordPress version.  Tonight I had a light bulb moment and Googled, “Redirect link in Blogger blog.”  I clicked on the first hit and guess what—I did write HTML—well, actually I only did a copy and paste but it worked!!  You should have heard my “SUCCESS” shout!!

I do welcome your feedback about the new blog!

Full Moon And Wind

OK, California, you can keep this wind—holy, moley did the wind blow today!!  As I type this blog tonight the moon is making an appearance rising above the mountains.  We love these big windows which look out over the desert and mountains beyond.  I can’t imagine living here with those original small windows!

Last night while Emmi and I were walking we watched the moon rising--

and the sun setting--

Sunday Michael installed the bathroom light fixtures we purchased and today he spent time designing another fixture from the leftover lights—for the kitchen—I am amazed at what my cowboy can do! 

Today Donna, Geri and I headed up the hill to Prescott.  We had a fun day hitting the junk/antique stores, Target and JoAnns plus we had a fabulous lunch at Bill’s Grill—when we walked in and looked at the menu I was afraid it was a “guy’s place” as in burgers and fries.  They did serve some awesome looking burgers but also had great sandwiches and salads—everything tasted homemade, even the buns.   A energy restoring stop at Starbucks then it was back down the hill to Congress where a dusty haze hangs from all the wind today. 

Emmi girl was glad to see me—too glad!  Peter and Beatrix—I am familiar with Cesar, the dog whisperer and followed your link to read about separation anxiety.  The Bark-Off isn’t working so it’s on to the next step and we are going to follow Cesar’s suggestions.  We can both go outside for a long time (even a couple hours) leaving Emmi inside—she doesn’t howl nor does she get off the couch when we come back in.  There is some trigger we give her telling Emmi we are leaving for a longer period of time—the treat we give her, my purse???  We are going to spend some time trying different things—hope it works because as Judy said, “a howling dog gets on your nerves.” 

Finds and Harquahala Peak

Thursday was a yoga day and when I came home Michael was ready to roll—we were on a mission to buy some light fixtures—really nice light fixtures advertised on the Facebook Wickenburg online garage sale site.  Back in Wickenburg after retrieving the bathroom light fixtures we stopped at the Habitat For Humanity Re-Store finding some more treasures.

Friday the ATV gang rode up Harquahala Peak with Tom and Sandy leading the way.  It’s a ride we never tire of—the road was in much better shape than in past years and the weather perfect!  There were seven rigs with eleven people and we had a great day!

Back home it was into the shower to wash away the dust before heading to Wickenburg for dinner with everyone.  The Bar 7 was packed—lots and lots of winter visitors and cowboys in town! 

Today we were off on another mission—to buy a black refrigerator to match the rest of our appliances—that white one we have just wasn’t cutting it!  My phone GPS had a little trouble finding the right spot—it’s a swanky subdivision just south of Wickenburg and there are zero street signs.  The homeowners had recently switched to stainless steel appliances from black—and the wife was all ready realizing how difficult stainless steel is to keep clean.  The new to us refrigerator has ice and water in the door—something we’ve grown accustomed to with our refrigerator in Montana.

Other worldly landscape!

Larry and Geri came over and helped us move the new refrigerator (minus its doors before it would fit) into the house.  As I type this blog the cowboy is under the house running a water line—the refrigerator used to sit in the middle of the kitchen, now it sits along a wall—so plumbing was required!  Once again I am sure glad I am married to a handy cowboy!

Seems Ms. Emmi has been harrassing the neighbors—our next-door neighbor came over to tell us the last two times we’ve left Emmi alone she has howled the entire time we were gone.  Not good and not acceptable.  Larry and Geri have loaned us a device called Bark Off and we will see if it works—it evidently emits a sound dogs don’t like—sure hope it works. 

Visitors and More Quilt Show Photos

Tuesday morning we enjoyed a great yoga class and “we” does not mean the cowboy attended! Right at noon our friends rolled in the driveway.  John and Peg lived in Montana and it only took them one winter season of living in Arizona to decide it was the place to be.  They recently sold their Montana home and became full time residents of Arizona.  We had so much fun catching up with their lives and hearing about our friends back home.  I served an outstanding (even if I do say so myself, they said the same!) lunch—bourbon marinated pork tenderloin, roasted potatoes, salad with poppy seed dressing and another of those lemon meringue pies for dessert—outstanding!

Today the cowboy and I made a run to Surprise—Costco, Hobby Lobby and JoAnn’s.  I am making curtains for the big window we installed—it gets lots of early morning sun and Michael needed painting supplies.  We left Emmi in the care of Larry and Geri—her home away from home!

Lots of planning going on around here—ATV rides here and there—Friday is the day for the first one.

Here are some more quilt show photos--It is hard to see in this photo but the vendor looked as if she had scissors coming out both sides of her head—she was a cheerful soul!

The following quilt was named, “Frame of Mind.”  It is ONE small quilt—if you stood straight in front of the quilt you saw an image of Oprah Winfrey.  If you stood to the left you saw an image of Jacqueline Kennedy Onassis.  And, standing to the right of the piece you saw an image of Mother Teresa. 

The lines you see are three dimensional rows of fabric—it was amazing and drew lots of attention but no ribbons!

Look closely at the quilting—in the two smaller photos below I changed the camera settings in order to highlight the quilting—stunning!

Titled “Me and My Shadow” and again the quilting was spectacular!

And one last quilt photo—a beautiful landscape quilt—that is all pieces of fabric, not painted.

Guests and Sunsets

The cowboy earned lots and lots of brownie points on Valentine’s Day—I think he is a keeper.

Sunday Larry and Geri joined the four of us for breakfast up in Yarnell where it was several degrees cooler.  As usual, breakfast at the Ranch House was great and the waitress sassy!  On the way home Brenda and John along with the two of us stopped in to see Al and Kelly.  We spent an enjoyable hour sitting in the sun visiting.

We spent the remainder of Sunday sitting outside in our yard enjoying the beautiful weather and the company.  Happy hour with Jim and Ellie then steaks on the grill at our house—YUM!

Mid-morning saw John and Brenda leaving North Ranch heading back to Maricopa—it was a great visit guys!  Poor Emmi was bathed, laundry was done and groceries purchased—that’s about the extent of our Monday.  I did make another lemon meringue pie—we have Montana visitors coming for lunch Tuesday. 

Sunday evening sunset.

Bus Trip And Visitors Arrive

Friday morning we left North Ranch at 7am bound for Phoenix on a big white bus getting back to North Ranch at 7pm.  It was an awesome day spent at the American Quilter’s Society quilt show in downtown Phoenix—Geri was to have accompanied me but had to cancel so Sandy took her place—we had a great day!

Vendors—I didn’t come home with very much “loot” as Paulette would say—just a couple needle punch kits, some pre-wound bobbins and some printable/fusible fabric for quilt labels.  A Bernia sewing machine almost followed me home but it wouldn’t quite fit in my bag—ohhhh, what a sweet sewing machine!!  Stitch regulated, spectacular lighting—all kinds of features!!

But—the best of the show—the quilts!  The traditional quilts were exquisite but the art quilts were mind boggling!!  I will let you be the judge--

Best of Show--

This next quilt was quilted on a domestic sewing machine—amazing!!

Best Wall Quilt—the detail in this art quilt was incredible—the artist was standing near the quilt describing the techniques she used, this wall quilt was one of my favorites!

And here is my favorite quilt in the whole show--

An inspiring day to say the least!  Dinner in Surprise then home to the cowboy and Emmi. 

Saturday about noon John and Brenda rolled in with the 40 foot horse trailer minus horses parking in the lot next to us—it’s good to see them and most definitely to see Brenda feeling better—it’s been a tough trip for her these last couple of years!  Jim and Ellie joined us for dinner tonight—burgers on the grill with Jim coaching the cowboy in the art of grilling—they also brought delicious baked beans!

Brenda contributed a delicious frozen peanut butter pie and I made my first ever lemon meringue pie with juice from the lemons on our lemon tree!

Several months ago I decided to make Brenda a quilt—my heart goes out to her and her struggles with Chronic Regional Pain Syndrome—and I enlisted the help of John.  He took photos of their Dogpound North (Canada) bedroom and I took it from there.  I can truly say Brenda was pleased with the quilt—I made her cry!

A very good day in the Arizona desert!