Duke. Aka Pookie Pie...Perfect

 A little over a year ago we brought this sweet guy home and he was instantly a perfect fit.  Initially he was a little hesitant but quickly became trustful of us and relaxed. I think animals know when they are in a good and safe place, especially those who have had a rough start to life. 
 He watches over me while I do my chores, chases Coyotes off the property daily and always crosses his legs when laying down... So cute.

 He's a professional snuggle bug who loves attention, ask anyone here and they'll tell you that he spoons perfectly... He's our welcome committee and such a happy and playful guy.

 He's my helper, my buddy and loves to go on trail. He chases rabbits and loves to dig holes chasing gophers.  He has a love hate relationship with a couple huge crows that live in one of the oaks. He has so much energy, the ranch life is perfect for him. By the day's end he's pooped.

What a big part of our family he has become and I am so grateful. Grateful everyday for this sweet boy.

You can read about his rescue here

Happy Hump Day Peeps from our hood to yours

Breaking ground...

This weekend we celebrated the close of escrow on our lot with family and friends. Our version of "breaking ground" done Pasta Sunday style.  We are so excited to get started on this project of ours and I'm looking forward to taking another picture with these special people next year with a house behind us!

Happy Monday, how was your weekend?

In One Day This Happened...

Yesterday morning I enjoyed another beautiful sunrise while out feeding everyone. The day before we had a big storm but as you can see the clouds have moved on and the sun was shining.

By late morning the clouds started to return and by noon the thunder rolled. As the clouds blew over the ranch it made for an insane and gorgeous sunset. It looks to me like a lava flow among the monsoonal flow.

I know this image doesn't look real but it is! For those of you wondering how I edited this one I simply lightened the foreground, straightened the horizon and slightly bumped the pink on the one cloud in the middle that looks like it's rolling. All color and textures are how it looked and was shot.

This is another view of last nights sunset but from behind the house where the horses turnouts are. The colors you see here are NOT the sunset but instead the reflection off the clouds from the south east.  Incredible right!

All in one day I got to soak in these colorful and amazing views while out doing chores and hanging with the animals, I sure love my hood!

God is an amazing painter of the skies huh...

Linking up with SkyWatchFriday

Happy Weekending Peeps!
Jen

Introducing Samson...

He wasn't sure about the whole trailer thing but with the help of my buddy and some patience we got him in. Loaded and ready to roll into his new life with us at the ranch. Oh my goodness he is a sweet guy!

The music man is such a fabulous "welcome committee". He greeted him with hugs, kisses and letting him know we're happy he's here.

 I didn't want to overwhelm him on his first day here but his legs needed tending too so he received his first bath and socks of his own. I will be getting him different ones for his healing time but for now these will work to keep his wounds clean.

He's settling really quickly too, I think he knows he's in a good place and is enjoying himself. He has met everyone over the fence and will join them after his quarantine time.

He is 6ish years old and the same size and Ms. Punkin Pie but thicker and much stronger, in fact he is super strong. I wanted to go with a biblical name for him as he has a large cross over his body (known as a Jerusalem Donkey) and his forelock is really long...So we have chosen Samson as his name, fitting isn't it?

Welcome home Samson... Sam... Sammie Pie..We are so happy you are here!

I'm linking up with T over at  

Fresh Starts...

I shot this sunrise the other morning and what a site it was while out feeding everyone. Thank you God for new days and for another opportunity to make a fresh start...

The next couple days will be busy ones around the ranch. Today the music man and I will finish building the second chicken coop for all the new babies and their mamas. Right now they are partitioned off in the main coop while waiting for their own space.   Tomorrow, I will be picking up Jake and I can't hardly wait. I'm excited to get him here so he can start his new chapter in the good life!

Happy Sunday Peeps,
Jen

Magnetism In Nature...

I believe there is a subtle magnetism in nature, which, if we unconsciously yield to it, will direct us aright. ~ Henry David Thoreau

Perhaps the world could take a time out. Breath in. Breath out. And spend some time in nature? Impossible I know but a thought non the less...

I'm linking up with T over at
                                                       

Thus Far...

 

Thus far it's been a productive week. Thankfully I've worked some and played some. The days are moving by quickly and these sweet babies are growing so fast! At two weeks old they've more than doubled in size and Goldie Girl is so attentive to them.

Ms Minnie Pearl is doing a wonderful job as well. Her three little ones are beyond adorable! She has two under her and as you can see one on her back as she was putting them to bed last night. She is my sweetest and gentlest chicken, dog really... yes she is more like a dog. All my girls follow me around but Ms Minnie always tries to get in the house and stays at my side while I'm out working. I'm so happy she has a little family to tend to for a few weeks.

Talking about sweet and adorable... Check out Chancie and his kind eyes, gosh I love this horse!

Ms Punkin decided to wear her dinner last night, she's such a character. One day I'll get it on video, she sticks her head under her hay and then flips some of it out of her feeder.

I'm going to meet another donkey later this week. I've been told he is a super sweet boy and has found himself in desperate need of a new home...

Happy Hump Day Peeps!

This Weekend... In Phone Foto's

This weekend the music man and I rode over to the lot, what a great way to start a day!  I am such a lucky girl. Check out these views! We are so excited and are looking forward to starting the build.
In a few months I will have more eggs. Between both broody girls we now have five super cute and fluffy little balls of joy.

Ms Minnie Pearl received her 2 day old Americaunas, three of them Saturday night and I am happy to report that both mama's are doing a great job. Nature it amazing!  Thankful to the music man for building separate nurseries within my big coop.

Last night was the much talked about Super Moon. I didn't get out to shoot it, instead I chose to spend some extra quiet time with the horses and Punkin. Spending quiet time and soaking in all there attention... Is just so good for the soul!

How was your weekend?

Happy Monday Peeps!
Jen

This Week Around The Ranch...

View from the lot

We're doing it! Our offer was accepted a couple weeks ago on the 9 acre parcel just down the road I recently told you guys about. Like the house we're currently in,  I also found this lot while out riding. In fact, it's only a mile away. You know I love my hood. The terrain and views are incredible and we are excited to get moving on building our dreams into reality. 

Mum was the word as were waiting on clarification as to where we could pull power from.  Since we are in a rural area, cost was a huge factor as to whether we could stay within our budget. We found out earlier this week that the power source is in fact what we hoped for as a best case scenario. So with that info we decided to complete the purchase and will be closing in the next week or so. I have been meeting with grader peeps, well peeps, civil engineer peeps and house peeps... Phew it's a lot and an adventure it promises to be!

In addition to the lot things have been very busy around the ranch as well. 

We have babies! 2 Australorpes who I put under Goldie a week ago and

tonight, 3 Americaunas that are going under Minnie Pearl. 

We had a wasp nest in our water heater closet that swarmed and stung the crap out of me last week and I still have welts...  I didn't want to spend money on having someone come out but these things were super aggressive. If you got within 10 feet or so they would swarm to protect their nest so I caved and hired a wasp guy who came out today. Thankfully, they are now gone.

I'm missing my brown dog terribly but am thankful for all the business and daily love I receive from all the family members, two and four legged here at the ranch.

Happy Weekending,

Jen

A Summer Storm...

This weekend the monsoonal moisture that has been missing us finally came over the ranch and boy did it unload some water.  Saturday was a steady rain, not to heavy but not that light either. Perfect for gently soaking into the scorched earth.  Sunday the storm was amazing and extremely powerful bringing with it flash floods to the area. The house almost got hit directly with lightening but instead hit the earth just outside our front door, wow!

We lost an Oak in Chancie and Punkins turn out.  They thought it was super fun and played under and in it like a proud child who just made a homemade fort under the kitchen table would.

Ms Punkin was so pleased with the mess and was ready to help the music man by eating her way through the leaves.

Of course this all happened just prior to our Realtor coming by...

He lives nearby so after seeing the mess, ran home to grab his big ol' chainsaw and helped us clear out the tree.  What a guy huh, Realtor extraordinaire is what I call him now.

The storm is clearing out this morning but the heat and humidity remains...