Amtrack

Granny Smith and I had the grand adventure of a life time riding the train to California.  Golden Delicious was in California on choir tour with the Bonnevaires.  Mr. Bechtel and the spy twins were headed to Nevada to visit cousins.  And so Granny Smith and I decided to ride the train to California and meet up with all of them there.

We drove to SLC with Grandma and Grandpa R and got on the train at about 10:30 PM.  Compared to flying it was the ultimate in freedom.  We took whatever baggage we wanted, plus water bottles and snacks and staked out our benches.  Since there weren't too many people, we each got 2 seats, which we folded down into "beds".  If you are Granny Smith's size they are actually fairly comfortable.  Otherwise you just fold yourself in half, curl up tight, and enjoy the "experience".

I actually can't complain because I really did fall asleep.  I woke up as we drove through Wells, NV.  And then woke up again in Winnemucca at 5 AM.  Granny needed to find a bathroom, so we went downstairs.  On the way back up he turned around, smiled happily at me and said, "I love traveling on trains!  We need to do this more often!"

We had breakfast in the dining car while we were winding through the Sierra Nevada Mountains, and then sat in the Observation car and listened to the conductor tell stories about the gold mines we were going past.

We got into Sacramento, CA around 2:30 PM and then drove in a rental car to Gravenstein's house in Sonoma County.

Such Fun!  Such Adventure!  To travel by train!

Granny Smith and Moon the Horse

Granny Smith decided to come ride horses with the Spy Twins over at the arena this winter.  The lady who owns the arena has a "bullet proof" older barrel horse, named Moon,  she said he could ride.

Well, Moon was pretty good.  He wasn't as quiet as I'd like, but I'm extremely paranoid about things like that.  I think Granny Smith was on his fourth ride.  He was getting pretty confident and jogging across the arena and having a great time.  I get too nervous to watch (the paranoid part - I can barely watch the Spy Twins and they've been riding for a year now) so I was out in the suburban talking on the phone.  I looked up and saw Nova Spy motioning me to come here.  Oh No.

"Is Granny Smith OK!??"
"He will be."
"AHH!"
"Mom, calm down.  Kathy (Granny's teacher) says to just come into the arena quietly."
I adopted my best "bedside manner" and calmly (moderately) went in.  Granny Smith was just getting up off the arena floor.  He was covered with dirt and his face was muddy and streaked with tears.

 He was ok.  His biggest concern was whether he had just fallen off or whether Moon had really bucked, because it seemed like Moon had bucked.  Kathy said, "no, buddy, Moon really bucked. You did great."  So the boys told him how Moon just got a bee in his bonnet and decided lessons were over.  He gave three big bucks across the arena.  Granny Smith hung on the first two, but got closer to the horses head each time and on the third just summersaulted over his head.

After we made sure Granny Smith was ok,  it was time to deal with Moon.  He needed to do some work.  Kathy was wearing her big snow boots so Nova Spy said he would ride Moon.  Well, Moon was just a pill.  He tried to buck him off several times, but Nova just sat down and kicked him out of it.  He worked Moon until he was trotting nicely and was listening.

When we were driving home, I said to Granny Smith, "I still don't think I understand how you landed.  What is hurting?  Did you land on your head?"  He said, "Mom, I'll just draw you a picture."  This is what he handed me:

Later that night I asked Nova Spy if he was scared riding Moon.
He said, "A little. But when he started throwing a fit I just told him, "Look buddy,  I weigh 115 pounds more than Granny, and I'm 115 times meaner, and if you buck me off I will kill you."

Christmas Service Write Up

I made the mistake of sharing this experience in Relief Society.  (We were having a lesson on how service blesses us).  Then I got a call asking if I would write it up for some book the Stake is doing.  So I did that and now I'm going to record it here so I can throw away my paper copy!

"This year for Christmas, our family was looking for someone to help.  We thought and looked, but just didn't find anything.  A neighbor called and asked if we'd take care of his livestock while he was gone for Christmas.  I said yes, and didn't think much more about it.

The first morning we went over, my boys were not happy about it.  They didn't want to wake up early and do chores while they were on break.  I wasn't so thrilled myself!  They got more and more unhappy as they went through the stalls taking care of the animals.  One of the goats was sick and shivering violently.  She wouldn't eat the hay we offered.  I couldn't blame her.  It was old, gray and dusty.  None of the animals had bedding in their stalls.  The boys were concerned because it was going to be below zero that night.  The calves needed bedding too, and the milk cow was very weak.  The calves had been left on her and had cut her teats up  and banged her up pretty good.  She gave almost no milk.

When we got done and climbed back in the truck, I had an idea.  I told the boys we were looking for something nice to do this Christmas.  We had just been presented with the perfect gift.  We could take care of the animals better than we would take care of our own and help the owners out while they were gone.  The boys immediately jumped on board, and started talking about how many bales of hay and straw they could fit in the back of the truck.  We drove straight to the feed store and bought 100# of grain, 50# of pig feed, and a salt block for the sick goat.  The boys came home and loaded up the hay and straw.

That night we took our loot over to the neighbors.  We broke a bale of straw in each stall, saving one of the bales which had good hay mixed with it for the pigs so they could nose through it looking for treats.  Then we gave the milking animals some good third crop alfalfa.  We also gave them a little grain.  We sprinkled grain for the pigs in their straw too.  Then we just stood back and watched.  It was so fun to see them enjoying their Christmas time feast.

The next day the cow gave more milk.  Each day she upped her production.  The pigs lapped up all the extra milk, and the sick goat stopped shivering and started eating.  Each day while the boys did the chores I swept the hallway outside the stalls.  We added all the waste hay as bedding for the animals.

Chore time became one of the best times of the day.  It was a great feeling for me to take care of the animals, talking and laughing with my boys the whole time, and then to go out into a beautiful clear night, and know that I'd done one small thing right.

My grandpa used to say that you can't give yourself poor to the Lord.  That's true with service also.  You always get back more than you give."

Merry Christmas 2011

Family Pictures

While the horses were escaping and causing trouble, Alaska Wildberry was taking our family picture. She had all these amazing gadgets: large and small reflectors, an enormous camera with various lenses, etc. etc.   Golden Delicious and I wanted to stay there longer, and take lots of fun shots, but the boys were less cooperative, and as soon as Mr. Bechtel got the phone call about the horses, they were gone.

But, we still got some good pics.  It helps when there's a professional photographer in the family.

Thanksgiving Odds and Ends

I can't remember everything from the weekend, and I wish I had taken some pictures of the hoe-down.  Golden Delicious and Cousin E. even got out their fiddles and played along.  But alas, no pictures.

My brother, Winesap, finished his biography of my Grandpa R.  I ordered a copy for each of my children.  Winesap did a phenomenal job and the book is just a priceless treasure to me.  Of course, since I know the author, I made him autograph each copy and add a personal note.  Such Fun!

Here is mom making gravy.  Poor Lady.  She has to make the gravy every year, but that's just what happens when you're the best at something.  Mr. Bechtel is her official gravy helper and they usually end up huddled over the stove with both ham gravy (from our own Crabapple Farm pigs) and turkey gravy. 

Alaska Wild Berry supervising the little kidlets table.  They appear to be waiting quite patiently.

Braeburn, trying to ignore me and pretending to be doing homework, while really checking the soccer scores from around the world.  Notice the adidas stripes on the computer.

And my Vet.  Bless his soul.  

The horses got out after dinner,  and S and L went chasing them across the neighbors field.  I wasn't trying to put him to work, but Yankee got cut up.  Of course, Yankee got cut.  She cannot walk 3 feet without injuring herself.  Luckily my vet was on hand and took care of everything!  

I actually want tons more animals.  It was exciting to get the horses back and every thing.  My new thanksgiving plan for future years is to work cattle .  But first I have to buy some cattle.

Thanksgiving at Crabapple Farm

Thanksgiving was fantastic this year.  We had both sides of the family represented, the weather was beautiful, and the food was lovely.

I actually don't think I did anything.  That's why I probably enjoyed it so much!  Everyone else did all the hard work!

Mr. Bechtel's sister, L, and her family came.  So beautiful!

 The Spy twins went out to help her bring food in from her car.  They said later, "she just kept on bringing out more pies!"  The boys looked so pleased every time they came in with something new.  L brought 6 pies, and S brought over 100 rolls.  I hope they come next year or it will be a real disappointment.