Another Chance Ranch

Living in Color

These were our trees right before the wind decided to start blowing 50mph, and before the leaves started falling.

I start looking forward to Fall in approximately July.  Typically, our temps here are hot enough to make us wish for color weather, but I don't look forward to that as much as I do the changing of the leaves. 

I marvel at what God has done with this sphere floating in space called Earth.

Let me catch you up on a few things since this is my first post in like forver!

I have lots of posts in the works, and will start posting them tomorrow. I have tested a few things on Pinterest, made some new recipes, read a few books, and spent some time with the kiddos. Just wait till you see the photos from our Taste Testing game. Good times!

I have lots of hair these days, and hope to post new photos for you to see.

I will be posting some good Christmas gift and stocking stuffer ideas.

And, I will share my new idea for McD's birthday.

I'm looking forward to blogging again.

Monarchs in Our Backyard - Must See!

About a week ago, McD and I went for a ride around the place.  Loading up in the Ranger and cruising around is just a way to relax together.  Usually, I take my camera along just in case I see something that catches my eye.  This time I just wanted to relax, soak up the sun, and enjoy McD's company.  Big mistake!  Huge! (Movie?)

As we made our way into the canyon, I saw several Monarch butterflies.  I asked McD to stop so I could watch them.  He did, and we sat there in awe.  You see, we watched a documentary on Monarchs a while back, and talked about how cool it would be to have them around here. 

After watching the butterflies for a while, we turned around and came back to the house.  We went out again the next evening, but instead of turning back around after only seeing a couple of butterflies we kept going.  When we drove down into the canyon behind the house, we saw lots of them floating around.

Again, we sat there in awe. 

I've never been a big butterfly fan.  I mean, I've always thought they were pretty, but I never chased them or went ga-ga over them.  Today, I go ga-ga over them.  I could sit and watch them for hours.

So, last Sunday night, I asked McD to take a walk with me.  This time I was taking my camera.  There was no way I was going to miss out on pics again. 

I had taken a hundred or so photos when I realized that McD was bored.  I told him that he could go back to the house, if he wanted.  As he was making his way out of the canyon, he stopped and started whispering. 

He said, "Julie.  Come back towards me, but take a really wide swath and come up on my left."  At the time I was to his right, so I did as I was told.  I had no idea what to expect to see, and I never expected to see so many Monarchs.

This is just a few of the limbs covered in butterflies.  There were lots and lots of butterflies just resting on the leaves.  Thousands of Monarchs are in the canyon behind our house, and we never knew.

The document we watched said that they stop at the same places as they migrate to warmer weather, so they might have been here every fall and we didn't know it.  I keep walking back down there to see if they are still there. 

I can't even begin to describe the feeling I get when hundreds of butterflies are flying around me.  It is awesome!

Can You Help Us Name This Dog?

As a lot of you know, our girl Pepper came to us in January of this year as a stray I found on the side of the road.  And before Pepper, our girl Mia found us.  So, needless to say, I have a soft spot for dogs.  Especially, stray dogs. 

If I could, I would open a shelter for dogs and I would just take care of them all.  Of course, I don't have the money or facilities to do that, and I know that McD is happy about that. 

After I brought Pepper home, I saw another stray dog roaming around our gate.  She was a bit standoffish, but I tried to get her to come to me each time I saw her.  I even started taking her food.  I mean, at the time, I didn't know if she was being fed.  I would pour the dry food out on the ground, walk away, get back in my pick-up and drive off, and then she would go eat the food.  I would have to watch her from my rearview mirror.

I started keeping dog food and treats in my pick-up, just in case she was around. 

Eventually, she started coming to me and letting me pet her.  Then, she got to where she would give me a kiss, and roll over onto her back so I could scratch her stomach.  She whimpers and whines the whole time. 

For some silly reason I never even thought to take photos of her, until today. :)

This is how it goes every time I see her.

Here she is laying around watching her buddies, the horses, play in the water.  Okay, they are cooling off, but playing sounds like more fun.

Here she comes.

Before you know it, she is stepping all over my toes and begging for attention.

First, I give her a Milk-Bone biscuit.  She loves them!!

She knows that I am going to give her something else, but today she is in for a surprise. 

She noticed that I had the bag of food, but I also had a can of Alpo.  She wasn't taking her eyes off of that can.

She likes it!!

Have you noticed that this little girl has a heart on her? 

For a minute, I thought she was going to lick the enamel off the bowl.

But just when I thought she was going to come over to me, you know...to thank me, she headed for the empty can.  My aging joints did not react near as fast as I hoped.  She grabbed the can, and headed back for the pond.  She stopped occasionally to glance back my way, but she was not coming to thank me. 

She deserves to have a name.  We call her The Dog, and I have decided that I want to name her.  She may never know her name, but we will.

Help me name her!

Technical Difficulties at the AC Ranch and ...

Where did today go?

Today was a crazy day.  C-R-A-Z-Y

Nothing really out of the ordinary happened, other than the internet here at the house acting crazy.  Seriously, I wanted to pull all my hair out, and run out of hear screaming at the top of my lungs.  But that would just scare the cat, the dogs, the cows, and the horses.  So, I restarted my computer, because doesn't that always make things better?  Um, not today.  Then I clicked around on the computer, and waited.  I got tired of waiting, so I clicked a few more keys, and then I vacuumed the floor. 

Finally, after a few hours of wondering what in the world was wrong with my connection, it starts working again.  Now I, for the life of me, can't remember what I was going to blog about today. 

Isn't that just par for the course?  Ha!

Now that our internet is up, and I have rambled on about nothing, I think I will go change into my pajamas, wash my face, and read.

Maybe tomorrow I will remember what I was going to say.

Hope you guys have a good evening!!

Catching Up!

Today, I plan on catching up on lots and lots of stuff!

I've already got my laundry going, and dishes put up.  I've worked on tomorrow's blog post, I know...don't fall out of your chair.  I am trying to get things back in order around here.

After starting my job, I lost all control around here.  My routines were shot, and I was completely exhausted.  Who would've thought that only four hours, three days a week would be so exhausting.  I am pretty sure that it's because I am grasping at some sort of structure in this complete chaos.

Things are getting ready to change though!  I am going to get caught up on everything, and I have a three day weekend to do it!

So, tomorrow be here for the post I promised you months ago! 

The rest of the week will be full of book reviews, stories from Hawaii, and maybe a recipe.  Hope to see you back here for all the fun!

And now, to iron some clothes.  Fun times!!

The Rest of the Story - Big News!

This photo has absolutely nothing to do with the news.  I just happen to like it, and I like posts with photos.

So, as Paul Harvey used to say..."And now, for the rest of the story."

A few weeks agao, I went into see the nice lady that handles my IRA.  I had some paperwork to fill out, and some of the jargon on there was a bit confusing, so I asked for her help.  While I was there, she asked if I would be interested in a part time job.  I didn't even think about it, I said yes.  She had to talk to the other person working there, and then she said I would start in June sometime. 

I left her office wondering what in the world I just did!  Did I really just agree to take a part time job without talking to McD about it?  I didn't even think things through.  This means I can't just do as I please anymore.  Shoot!  I have to be responsible again!

I went home to ponder over what I had done.  By the time McD got home, I had decided that it might not actually happen so I didn't need to be all worked up about it.  When I told him about it he was actually pretty happy with my decision. 

A week or so went by and I had to take some more paperwork in.  Oh my, I looked horrible!  I had just ran/walked almost 2 miles, my face was beet red, and I was wearing stinky, sweaty workout clothes.  You get the picture, right?  So, I walk in, go over the paperwork, and am getting ready to leave and she asks if I can start work on Wednesday.

Again, I don't think.  I just said, "Yes!"

I had walked in a customer, and left an employee.

I am happy to say that my new boss is great!  She knows I am in the final stages of my battle with breast cancer.  She knows that I am going to a church retreat with my Granny this month, and that I go on trips with McD.  She is willing to work around all of it. 

Today was my third day at work.  I only work a few hours, a few days a week and that is perfect for me.  I am filled with doubt every morning that I head to the office.  It takes a little bit of getting used to getting back in the thick of things.  But I am looking forward to learning my new job.  It is just doing clerical work, answering the phone, and stuff like that but, it's really all I want right now.

I have to agree with what my boss said the first day we spoke.  She said, "I think you were supposed to come in here today." 

So, there ya go.  Now you know.  I'm a working woman again.

 

Big News!!

I'm going to work this morning!

I accidentally got a job!

Will tell you about it when I get home this afternoon.

Have a great day everybody!!

A Little Challenge for the Day (& the super moon)

I've been reading Facebook and Twitter these last few days wondering what in the world is wrong with people.  It drives me batty to constantly read negative statuses, and tweets.  Don't get me wrong, I know that we all have a bad day now and then.  It's just that some of us get tired of it.

Philippians 4:8 ESV

Finally, brothers, whatever is true, whatever is honorable, whatever is just, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is commendable, if there is any excellence, if there is anything worthy of praise, think about these things.

I'm thinking that this means to think about the good, not dwell on the bad.

Does anyone else agree?

So the challenge for today, or this week, is when a negative comment (status or tweet) comes to mind try to find something positive to say. 

That is what I am trying to do this week.  Join me!!

(Oh, the photo has nothing to do with the challenge.  It is just a photo of our most recent super moon! Hope you enjoy it!)

Technology Free Weekend -Can You Do It?

This weekend we are going technology free!! Have you ever tried it? This is a first for us, and I am anxious to see how it goes. Technology free means no phones, computers, or iPads. No Facebook, Twitter, or blogging. If we like it, we might do it more often. Have a great weekend, and I'll see you Monday!

Another Chance Nutrition - My New Venture

Let me tell you about Another Chance Nutrition, it is my new little venture. 

Over the past 21 years, McD & I have been taking Nature's Sunshine herbs and vitamins.  It all started when I worked in my grandparents' Nutrition Shop. 

Recently, I went to Hawaii with my Granny to attend a Nature's Sunshine convention and it was truly an eye opener. 

I decided that I would start peddling the herbs, vitamins, etc online.  I set up Another Chance Nutrition because I wanted a place to tell everyone about the different products.  I haven't posted much over there yet, but I will be adding more and more. 

I will be sharing more and more about my venture, but I wanted to let you know what that button was over to the right. 

Feel free to click on it, check it out.  Click on the shop tab, there is an interesting Health Analyzer there. 

Feel free to ask questions, and or leave comments.  Do you use natural herbs and vitamins?  Feel free to share your story.