Crabapple Farm

Mr. Bechtel has been offered a job in Dallas, TX.  

(Goin' through the Big D, and do mean Dallas...)

I would say things are leaning that direction. I am happy to go with him - wherever he's going, I'm going.  That being said, I immediately fell even deeper in love with Crabapple Farm.  I ran around the house taking photos so if we end up moving I can remember all the details.

The Wyoming Shelf on my bookcase.

Vitamins and cookbook in Kitchen.

All the cool lathe projects Prairie Spy has made for me.

The music room.  Usually Prairie's guitar is laying on the love seat and there is music spread out on the floor.

The Family Room, with Great Grandma Ricks' braided rug, the rocking chair from Grandpa Wadsworth, and our ancient TV.  (usually Granny is laying on the couch watching a movie....)

Current quotes on the fridge.

Mr. Bechtel's favorite painting.  This picture hung over Great Grandma Ricks' kitchen table for years. It presided over bright red raspberries in blue bowls, games of chinese checkers and perfect single roses floating in glass bowls.   Both Mr. Bechtel and I love it.  Grandma carefully went through all her possessions and wrote on the back of all her things who she wanted to have her quilts, books, etc.  My name was found on a tiny piece of paper, taped to the back of this picture.  I don't know how she knew that we loved it so much.  She was just that kind of person. 

 And now it's in our room.

I take some comfort in the fact that when your decorating scheme revolves around books, you can create a home anywhere.

The New Deacon

12 is a big birthday.  

Granny went from being a boy to a deacon overnight, and now with his new suit, he looks like he's ready to head off on a mission too.

Grandma took him shopping and got him duded out.  He looks sharp, most definitely.

Nova and Granny.  They could be companions!

Ready for church and super enthusiastic about photos :)

Baby Lambs

Mr. Bechtel gave each of the boys some "seed money" for them to invest and make grow.  Granny Smith decided to use his to buy some bummer lambs from the sheep experiment station.  I thought we were too late in the year, but I called anyway and the next day Annette called me back and said they had 4 and did we want them?

We did.  We drove up and got them.  Once again I fell in love with the Sheep Experiment Station.  It is a little oasis of white houses and neat green lawns in the middle of a sagebrush wilderness.

This is Granny with his, "you'd better eat this Baby-Baby" look.  Actually, I think he's holding Marvin right now.

Here's Nova with Baby-Baby.  She is tiny, did not want to eat, and we thought we were going to lose her.  But then Golden Delicious came home from BYU for the weekend, and with her expert touch "Baby-Baby Honey" decided to pull through after all.

Sheep are adorable.  Sheep are stupid, too.  You have to convince them that life is good and food is a key part of that life. As you can see, Nova is looking determined.

Marvin is an exception... He is smart.  We call him S. Marvin Foghorn Leghorn Sheep.  "Starvin' Marvin" is always good to go.  See, he has now come over to finish Prairie Spy's bottle.  He likes to eat everyone else's food too.  And then moans because he's about to pop.

Prairie is trying to feed "Dorcas".  She was older when we got her.  Her mom died of pneumonia and training her to the bottle was difficult.  She knew we were just cheap imitators.  Prairie is our chief vet.  When the lambs need a shot or extra help, he is our go to guy.  Granny Smith finally sold Dorcas to a friend who has more experience with problem sheep than we do.

"Targhee" is watching all the drama.  We all love the Targhee breed.  They are mellow, easy and hardy.  Our last one thought he was a dog and chased cars with Jack and Pete.  We'll see what this Targhee does.  

Grow Lambies Grow!

Random Elder Braeburn Photos

Elder Braeburn is doing marvelously (as they say in England...)

I will not try to interpret these photos, I will just post them...

Granny Smith Turns 12

Happy Birthday Granny Smith!

Granny wanted to go swimming for his birthday, so we invited the cousins (who happened to be visiting from Sandpoint over their Spring Break) and Grandpa and Grandma and went to Green Canyon.

Then we ate a yummy dinner of Sloppy Joe's that Grandma made.  Everything tastes better when you've been swimming - why is that?  And then came home and had chocolate cake and ice cream.

Much Love to the Young Man!!!

Burning Ditch

Grandpa and Grandma came out for dinner while Mr. Bechtel was in Japan.  It was a beautiful evening, so they decided to burn the ditch after dinner.

Grandpa is something of a pyromaniac.  He went around dumping diesel fuel on everything.  Grandpa says he wants to be a flame thrower at the time of the second coming.  He will be well qualified :)

Good Job guys.  Thank you.