Where did January go?

Wow, this month certainly flew by! Even without traveling we seem to keep plenty busy! After neglecting this blog for so long I vowed to post an update at least monthly until we're able to hit the road again, so here's what's been happening at the ranch this month. 

We started out the month with The Great Bambi Adventure.

This problem was a holdover from late December, when I looked out the back window and saw a fawn drinking out of a bird water pan. I was shocked! 

In the 10 years we've lived here we've not had any deer in our gated and fenced yard other than two or three that managed to sneak in while we opened the gate to drive out, and we were able to chase them out immediately. 

For convenience we started calling the fawn Bambi (though we think it is a girl, and Bambi was a boy). Bambie apparently arrived shortly before her mother, which I saw slip through the gate as I was going to my car to leave for town.  

This doe was smarter than our previous visitors, and in no time she managed to hide in the brush. I didn't know at the time she was following her fawn, so when the fawn showed up at the water pan and I saw the mother around the corner I knew we had 2 deer in the yard - Yikes!  

The doe managed to jump the gate at some point (the only place low enough for a deer to jump over) but Bambi was too small to jump that high, so she became a resident. We were faced with quite a dilemma - if we left the gate open the dogs would wander out and more deer would probably wander in.  What to do???

It became part of Steve's daily morning walk around the property to open the gate and then try to flush the fawn out and work it down the driveway. The fawn always managed to dart sideways and hide in the brush again. Finally we put up a temporary fence that created a path to the gate and with a little strategy succeeded it moving Bambi out. Seeing that little white tail heading down the driveway was one of my happiest days! It seems to have joined the local herd with no problems, and we're certainly hoping we don't have a repeat of this adventure! 

In the middle of January we had a bit of snow. 

It's been several years since we had enough to even accumulate. This storm delivered a nice amount of snow that gave the grandsons a chance to throw snowballs at each other, and enough to melt slowly into the soil. 

We've had a very dry winter so I know the wildflowers will appreciate that, and the Magical Giraffe that lives here seemed to appreciate the view too. 

I think everyone can identify with having "too much stuff", and when we moved here we downsized considerably in regard to space to store the "stuff" and still have access to it....so.... we've created a couple of new storage buildings. The crew working on the newest project showed up the day after the snow, so it was a rather chilly enterprise, but they didn't seem to mind.  The company we use for construction is  DNA sheds and they are GREAT! 

Rather than an off-the-shelf shed, we can plan the configuration exactly the way we want it, door sizes, windows or not, etc. It's amazing to watch them put one up. 

They bring the parts mostly cut to size, paint the exterior pieces laying on the ground, assemble the walls, but on the  wall panels and trim, and poof! there's a building! All done in one day. They built one for us last summer, attached to the RV parking area. In this photo all the trim strips have been painted and are drying while they finish the walls and put on the roof.

They finished both of the small storage sheds we wanted this time in one day. Now Steve is paneling the inside of one and installing lights, then we can move in all of the items that are crowding us out of the house!

The lack of water for wildlife this winter has been pretty noticeable - I think that's why the deer wanted into the yard. We always have a nice variety of migrating birds for that reason too, and this year is no exception

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I looked out the kitchen window a few days ago and that water pan was covered with cedar waxwings, all busily dipping and sipping. 

They're a very nervous bird, and it was hard to get a clear photo. It didn't help that the many robins who also wanted a drink kept chasing them away. 

Cedar waxwings love the little berries on the juniper trees that are so common around here too, so it's a pretty comfortable environment for them. They are a beautiful little bird, with such fascinating coloring and pattern, I wish they would stay around a little longer but we seem to always be just a stop along the way to somewhere else.  

The robins are still here though, by the dozens! and soon we'll have young cardinals, finches and then the buntings to watch.  

It's a Texas Kind of Christmas

 Merry Christmas and Happy New Year!

We hope this letter finds you and your family well. That seems to be a constant concern these days. This whole year seems to be one big blur, creeping by on the one hand, but suddenly, almost over! It's no surprise to anyone I'm sure for me to say that this has been a very strange year, but I was surprised to see I hadn't made a post since last Christmas! 

We did have a few things of interest in our lives this year! The really good news is that Kendra’s Lyme infection went into remission early in the year. She now has a job with a 911 data management company and it’s keeping her plenty busy! The boys are doing well in their “virtual” school, and of course, growing like weeds, as they say. They seem to be adjusting pretty well to the whole new situation, but very much look forward to the occasional opportunity to play with an actual friend face to face! 

We did manage a camping trip to Lake Bastrop with the boys in March. Jaxen had a very successful day of fishing and was quite pleased with himself (now he just needs to learn to clean his own fish!). We had another camping trip in June in June when we inaugurated our new inflatable canoe (much easier to carry than the old one!). Raylan wasn't too sure about the whole thing, but we reminded him how brave he was on the trip before, so it worked out well. 

The south shore of the lake, where we stay, is perfect for canoeing. The water is usually calm and there are several small fingers to explore and examine the wildlife and plants along the shore.The Covid shutdown in our area began on the day we left the campground! At least we got two short trips in before things closed down  Our only outing after that was an April trip to the Witte museum in San Antonio for the dinosaur exhibit. 

 As with most places everything here has been pretty much become “virtual” if it happens at all. Steve even bought himself a new tractor online! A couple of phone calls to discuss details and before we knew it “Big Blue” was being delivered! It’s really been a big asset to our maintenance activities around the place, and he’s having a good time mastering all the new features our old tractor didn’t have.

 

Lots of gardening, cooking, art, craft and sewing projects to keep us and the boys busy (when they are here), and all the outdoor time we can fit in. New building projects and a lot of general puttering about the place have kept us occupied, though we’ll be really happy when camping opens up again! Right now our usually temperate weather is pretty darn chilly, but we're hoping that by the time things warm up in the spring we'll be able to get out and travel a bit.  I’ll close this with our best wishes for you and your family for a very Merry Christmas, and health, happiness and all good things for you and the family in the New Year!

Merry Christmas from Texas!

                                                                                              

                                                                                                                                                                                            

Holiday Greetings from Texas!                                                           

We hope this finds you well and enjoying this most wonderful time of the year!

Our spring and summer were busy! After a bit of surgery in March to repair a messed up knee I had recovered enough to travel to Oregon in April for the annual Duck Ladies at the beach trip. It’s great to be able to get together with longtime friends and catch up. 

We kept busy all summer with gardening and visits from many friends and family. Sister Diana came in July, for Raylan’s 5^th birthday.

In June we fit in a week-long camping trip with the boys at Lake Bastrop. (see our previous post for more on that)

It was their first exposure to canoeing, and though Raylan had a bit of trepidation about the whole project, he climbed aboard and paddled along with the rest of us, announcing when we reached the shore,

“I was very brave!” Yes, he was! 

 Scott and the boys went fishing, and both boys caught a fish! I don’t know who had more fun, the grownups or the boys!

Steve’s mom is 91 this year. She’s doing quite well, but had a problem with her back that prevented her from making her usual fall trip to Texas. We really missed her at Thanksgiving and for Jax’s birthday in December. Jaxen turned 8 this year, and is growing into quite a young man.

Steve’s doing well after his heart attack two years ago - no reoccurring problems! Yeah!

Unfortunately, Kendra is still battling her chronic Lyme infection. It’s a long process, but we hold out hope for an eventual cure. She’s often unable to drive, so we remain available to transport the kids, or whatever other assistance is needed.

Kendra created a battle ship cake for Jaxen's "war ship"
themed birthday party.

So that’s our 2019 in a nut shell!

We send warmest wishes your way. May your holiday season be filled with laughter, joy, and peace.   And please look us up if you’re out this way. . . We’re always open for visitors!