Surprises In A Storm Cloud...

Wednesday nights sunset over the ranch was another beauty, incredible in fact. The approaching storm brought so much drama and texture to sky and I sure loved it.

I was out feeding the animals when I saw the sun beams shooting out from the clouds and ran for my camera. When I uploaded the image I saw the added awesomeness! Do you see it?

Sun rays that beam from clouds are often called God's hands so seeing that the rays were coming from the bottom of a huge heart shaped cloud in the sky was beyond rad!

I have a buddy who searches for hearts in her everyday and when I shared this photo with her she saw two hearts! Check out the suns glow as well. What a gift...

Goodness is everywhere, we just have to keep our eyes and mind open to it.

Linking up with swf

Happy weekending peeps,
Jen

Sending Warm Wishes Your Way...

 It looks like the storms the weatherman promised us will start rolling in later today and hanging out until Sunday. We're ready and I'm looking forward to some quiet days while the scorched earth here soaks in the desperately needed rain.

hiking down to the waters edge

I know so many of you are covered in snow and sub zero temps... Again and wondering if Spring will ever come to you. 

I thought I would share some more shots from my trip to the beach from a couple weeks ago.  I hope you'll find some warmth in these and know Spring is coming your way... I promise. 

One of our favorite places to visit is here at this beach. 

Balboa Island Ferry landing

Balboa Pier sunset

Sending warm wishes to you guys in the Polar Vortex and a happy joy joy to those of us in So Cal where we finally have whats looks to be a good rain storm, it just started drizzling while typing this up.  Whoohoo!

Be safe. Be happy,

Jen

linking up with Madge today at 

Our Weekend In Photos

This weekend the music man finished Ms. Punkin Pies shelter.  She now has her top shelter finished as well as a wind break too. Of course while he worked the rest of us (check out Luna and Chancie, so sweet)

gave out hugs and kisses.

We went for a couple of walks. I took Punkin around the property while the dogs ran along with us and she seemed to really enjoy it.

Ms Goldie Girl.
I now have six of my eight girls laying again, whooohooooo! This was the longest molt ever, at least it felt that way.

We had a wonderful visit with family. The photo collage above proves that group jumping for a photo is really hard but super fun... That our sunsets at the ranch are incredible... And that Jack is a great photo bomber.

Apparently being a photo bomber is hard work. Someone is very tired today...

Sunny and Warm...

The weather man says we have a really good chance of rain next week. Fingers crossed... We need it so badly. We are in the tenth year of a drought and this winter has been by far the driest that I remember.  Since getting Chance, adding more animals and expanding my garden I do pay close attention to the weather. When working towards a self sustaining life style and living in the boonies it's amazing how much more tuned in you are to the earth and I do love that. 

This week it's been warm and windy. The other night at dusk the wind stopped and the dust particles floating around seemed to grab some extra color for another beautiful sunset over the ranch. 

This weekend we have family visiting and are super excited. We'll also be finishing Ms Punkin Pies shelter just in case the rain really makes it our way but also for sun protection as summers here are very warm. 

Linking up with Sky Watch Friday.  

Happy Weekending,

Jen

These Boots...

Were made for riding...

For walking...

For working and

for relaxing...

This week I've been spending some time organizing my photos. In going through them I noticed many of them featured my favorite boots. Seems my fashion these days are either these or my muck books. Perhaps not stylish for a NY fashion show but super perfect for here at the ranch.They're so comfy and I sure love them!   Do you guys have a favorite pair of shoes?

Linking up with Madge today

Happy Wednesday Peeps!
Jen

A Birthday Adventure...

My sister is a Valentine baby. Knowing I couldn't celebrate with her on her day I drove over to the coast a couple days before where we met up for an adventure. We had such a fun day! It started off with a hike down to the beach.

Where we walked through a tunnel that is as wide as the highway that sits above it, maybe 10 lanes wide.

The air was cool and you could feel the dampness on your skin. The walls were painted by different boy scout troops and the dates sitting next to their fabulous art work went back for more than 10 years.  Cool right...
We had a wonderful lunch at a favorite place and then drove up the coast a bit more

where we visited a candy store who had super fun lollipop lips.  I look a bit crossed eyed in this photo but it's okay, we don't get to do "sister selfies" to often.

I finished my visit at the waters edge soaking in the sunset and moon rise while looking down Balboa's beach.

I shot this from under the pier shortly after sunset and before hitting the road back towards the ranch. I sure love living where we do. Within a couple hours drive I can be at the beach, mountains or desert where there's no shortage of awaiting adventures.

Happy Valentines Day

from all of us at the ranch.

Our Weekend

The music man had a couple gigs in town this last weekend. I usually only go to one when he plays but we had a really nice visit from our best buddies so I went and watched him for both. Phew I'm tired!  Getting home at 1:00 a.m. to grab a few hours of sleep before morning feeding and chores do not make for a good combo.

You're either a morning or night person, you simply cannot be both, right. Well unless you're young, then you can do whatever the heck you want as sleep doesn't seem to be needed as much. It's when you get older or perhaps wiser that we need more. Or maybe I'm projecting?  It was rough, seriously...... but super fun to be out with everyone.

This weekend we purchased everything to build Ms. Punkin Pie her very own shelter but instead of building I learned how to snake the kitchen sink. Sadly although our handy work was awesome we weren't able to find the clog.It's okay, we survived the weekend and the music man will be bringing home something tonight after work that should fix it, fingers crossed.

                                        Chancie is always such a good sport, Ohh I love him!

Please Bring Some Rain

Although the last two storms rolled by us without dumping any amount of water our way I woke up today to some sprinkles.

I shot this just a few minutes ago, looks promising doesn't it? Oh I sure hope the weatherman is right and some rain is coming to the ranch later today. We need it so very badly and we're ready.

Though we missed the storms earlier this week they sure did make for stunning skies.

Linking up with Sky Watch Friday

Happy Weekending Peeps!
Jen

Edited ~ It's raining whoohooo!  Everyone who lives outdoors has their water proof blankets on and shelter. The girls are inside their coop and out of the wind and rain.  Oh yes life is so very good.

Silly how excited we get about rain in these parts but we are desperate for some. It's been such a long and sad drought. I know a lot of you are buried in snow and sub zero temps...  Wishing you all a safe and warm weekend ahead.  J

Our Weekend

Good Morning from my hood to yours.

How was your weekend? Ours was good, quiet.

This weekend the cold and wet weather that winter is supposed to be was trying hard to make us a visit. It's cold but the rain we were expecting and hoping for unfortunately, was minimal. We are so dry and the worry about fire season is great. The states drought is so bad now that the Governor announced last week that if we don't get significant rain we won't be able to ship water outside our state to others that depend on our help.

We are all in love with Ms. Punkin Pie. Thankfully she enjoys all the attention because we can't stop hugging and kissing her.

This weekend the music man and I enjoyed a nice trail ride. Chancie is feeling better and I tried to pony Punkin with us around the property. It was a total fiasco. She doesn't seem to know how to pony and Chance didn't want any part of it. At one point we were getting tangled so I had to drop her lead rope. Oh boy did she have some fun though.  This little girl can move! She ran around like crazy, stopping for a weed snack just to run some more. She is so cute. It was all good as we were on the property and after a few minutes she simply followed us back to her turn out.  No harm no foul and she seemed to have a blast.

This weekend we spent time with friends, old and new.

We watched the super bowl. What a sad blow out of a game. The music man is originally from Washington state and I am a Charger fan but we both were rooting for Payton Manning, wishing he could obtain the fairy tale ending of his amazing career... Maybe next year that is of course if San Diego isn't there :)

This weekend the sky was spectacular. I love how an incoming storm brings so much texture and drama to an image. I shot this yesterday while out feeding everyone breakfast. It was cold, 22 degrees but the welcome I always get from the animals fills my heart and keeps me warm.  Do you see the sun rays busting out into the blue sky? We call this God's hands and I super love that.

Now if we could just get a bit more rain....Perhaps later this week the weatherman says.

Happy Monday Peeps!
Jen