SATURDAY JOY RIDE?

Today Jeff and I went on a 4-wheel Drive ride with the local 4-wheel drive club on a trail called Tex Creek.  Unfortunately for Jeff I woke up on the grumpy side of the bed this morning and was so tired that all I wanted to do was stay in bed, but I knew that Jeff wanted to take the jeep out for a ride.  This summer is somehow getting away from us and we just haven't done the things we would like to do.  I started out having a difficult time going out because in the back of my mind all I could think about was all the things at home that I needed to do and wanted to do and I was out in the middle of what looked like nowhere.  However, as the day progressed I found myself starting to enjoy the ride, (but would'nt tell Jeff that :)  One thing I have come to learn about guys is that they like to stop and contemplate where they should go and how they should do it and these little pow-wows take time.  So I decided that I would try to take some pictures of the wildflowers on the trail, they were so pretty.  I know I need to work on my photography skills and keep thinking I should get a new camera, but in reality all I need to do is learn how to use the one I have better.  This trail ride encompassed many different scenerios, we went from thick foilage and having to cut trees off the trail, to beautiful scenery at the top of the mountian, to mud holes deep as the bottom of the bumper to dust bowl roads where you couldn't see the vehicle in front of you.  We ended up on a trail that they said was a trail, but looked to me that no one had been on it for a long time and finally a "creek" crossing that unnerved me because it looked more like a river and I was afraid we would either fall in a deep hole or get washed down the river, fortunately neither happened and we found the other side just in time to be attacked by mosquitoes.  Does this sound fun yet?  Well  in the end we finished up and got off the trail right before the rain came and yes today when I look back at it, it was fun, kinda, ha, ha.  Ok it was!

THE BIRDS HAVE LEFT THE NEST!

THIS SPRING WE FOUND A NEST WITH THREE BLUE EGGS IN A TREE IN OUR FRONT YARD AND HAVE BEEN WATCHING IT EVER SINCE.   WE WATCHED AS OUR MOTHER ROBIN PATIENTLY SAT ON THESE CUTE LITTLE BLUE EGGS WAITING FOR THE DAY OF THEIR ARRIVAL.  THEN WE WATCHED AS OUR LITTLE BIRDS WENT FROM FUZZY LITTLE BODIES WITH BIG BEAKS TO LITTLE BIRDS WITH  FEATHERS.  WE WATCHED AS OUR MOTHER ROBIN SPENT ONE DAY FEVEROUSLY FEEDING HER BABIES WITHOUT TAKING A BREAK. AND THEN TODAY AS WE PEEKED INTO THE NEST WE FOUND THEY HAD ALL LEFT.  WE KNEW THIS DAY WOULD FINALLY COME, BUT WAS SUPRISED HOW QUICKLY THEY WENT FROM EGGS TO FLIGHT.  TODAY, AS WE WATCHED WE NOTICED THAT ONE OF THE BABY BIRDS WAS PERCHED IN A BRANCH AT THE TOP OF THE TREE AND THEN OUR MOTHER ROBIN CAME BACK TO THE TREE WITH A WORM IN HER MOUTH AND FED HER BABY RIGHT ON THE BRANCH.  IT WAS SO MUCH FUN TO WATCH.  MY GUESS IS THAT THIS LITTLE BIRD IS THE LAST ONE TO LEAVE.  MAYBE NOT QUITE READY TO CUT THE APRON STRINGS AND NEEDS MOMMY FOR JUST A LITTLE WHILE LONGER.
I DONT KNOW IF WE WILL EVER SEE OUR FAMILY AGAIN, BUT I DO KNOW THAT NOTHING CAN BEAT WATCHING MOTHER NATURE IN ITS PUREST FORM.

THINGS TO COME

I AM BEHIND ON MY POSTS AND HAVE MORE TO SHARE.  HOPEFULLY I WILL GET TO IT SOON.

CAKE BALLS

Can I say any more.  These are delicious little morsels that melt in your mouth and that is my treat tonight.  I am not sure, but I dont think I know anyone besides me who rarely gets a birthday cake for their birthday and this year I did not.  It's ok because in reality I would probably try to eat most of it myself and then regret it.  Our  young women had a fund raising dinner and bake sale tonight so I rode my bike to the church and there they were, cake balls, one of my favorite things.  I just happened on to a recipe for these little morsels that I will share with you, because if you haven't had them before then you are missing out on something very yummy.Click Hereand Here for a few links for cake balls, however, it is not the one I saw yesterday, I cant seem to find that one again.  Note:  You can make these with any combination of cake flavors and frosting.  Tonight I am eating chocolate cake with chocolate frosting dipped in chocolate. I think this is a fine substitute for a birthday cake. Because they are bite size, I got my cake and can eat it to.
I was hoping to sit outside tonight as I wrote this and enjoy the nice breeze, but was quickly sent inside because a storm came with a fury and forced me inside. Now we have the summer thunderstorms to deal with. How much rain will we have to endure this year?

HAPPY BIRTHDAY TO ME

SO TODAY IS MY BIRTHDAY AND THIS MORNING I JUST FELT LIKE I REALLY DON'T WANT ANY MORE BIRTHDAYS.  I DON'T WANT TO GET OLDER.  HOWEVER, THIS MORNING WHEN I CHECKED MY EMAILS  A THOUGHT WAS SENT TO ME THAT HELPED ME PUT THINGS BACK INTO PERSPECTIVE.  HOW DID THEY KNOW WHAT I WAS THINKING AND WHAT I WAS NEEDING TO HEAR?

GARDENING -- A NEW TAKE

I JUST HAPPENED ON TO THIS WEBSITE.  CLICK HERE TO GO AND SEE THE CUTE THINGS THAT SHE HAS TO DOWNLOAD.

WHAT A DIFFERENCE A DAY MAKES

Yesterday the sun shone the whole day.  It was glorious!  It was 73 degrees when I got home from work and so I went for my walk up the hill.  I have been able to sneek in one day a week, and one week twice, in the last month because of the weather.  It felt so good to be out so I decided to take on the top of the hill that I had been avoiding, which means going as far up on the foothills as there is paved roads.  By the time I got back to the car I really felt like I had hiked/walked at least 5 miles, but alas, it was only 3.5 miles, which a good 2 miles is straight up and then I zig zag down across rolling hills. This is a really good, heart pumping walk and I thoroughly enjoy it.  Today however, is another story, the morning started out like it was going to be nice, but the clouds have started to roll in and it is suppose to rain by afternoon. What to do!

ANOTHER DAY IN PARADISE?

IT'S POURING AGAIN TODAY.  IT IS POURING BUCKETS.  THE RAIN BARRELL IS FULL AND RUNNING OUT THE OVERFLOW SPOUT.

THE FORCAST IS FOR RAIN THE REST OF THE WEEK :(

I HATE TO COMPLAIN BUT I AM SO TIRED OF THE RAIN.  WE HAD ANOTHER HUGE RAINSTORM TODAY.  IT RAINED AND BLEW SO HARD THAT WHEN WE WERE LOOKING OUT THE WINDOW IT LOOKED LIKE A BLIZZARD, WE COULDN'T EVEN SEE THE HOUSES THROUGH THE FIELD. IT'S JUNE AND I AM REALLY LOOKING FORWARD TO SOME SUNSHINE AND SOME WARMTH.  I WAS HOPING FOR A GOOD DAY TOMORROW, BUT THE CURRENT WEATHER REPORT JUST SAID THAT WE WILL BE GETTING MORE RAIN.  I GUESS I WILL JUST GO GET A PEDICURE IN THE MORNING AND CALL IT GOOD FOR THE DAY!!  SO MUCH FOR GETTING A GARDEN IN.  THANK GOODNESS I WASN'T AMBITIOUS AND ALREADY HAD IT IN BECAUSE THIS STORM WOULD HAVE FLATTENED IT COMPLETELY.  ONE OCCASION WHEN MY PROCRASTINATION PLAYED TO MY BENEFIT.

BEAUTIFUL BABY HAILEY'S BLESSING

LAST WEEKEND WE WENT TO UTAH FOR HAILEYS BLESSING.  IT WAS A BEAUTIFUL WEEKEND IN UTAH.  WE SPENT THE NIGHT WITH GRANDMA JONES AND THEN WE ALL WENT IN TO OGDEN FOR THE BLESSING.  BRANDON DID SUCH A NICE JOB AND I WAS SO PROUD OF HIM.  DAYNA'S PARENTS, HER SISTER, ANDREA AND LUKE CAME UP FROM CALIFORNIA, IT WAS SO NICE THAT THEY WERE ABLE TO COME UP FOR THE BLESSING.  GRANDPA SWANER WAS THE HOST WITH THE MOST AND HE LET US TAKE OVER THE HOUSE FOR LUNCH WHICH WAS YUMMY.   WE DID HAVE ONE LITTLE MISHAP HOWEVER, WE TURNED ON THE OVEN TO PRE HEAT IT FOR THE BREAD AND ABOUT 15 MINUTES LATER WE COULD SMELL SOMETHING THAT RESEMBLED MELTED PLASTIC.  LITTLE DID WE KNOW THAT GRANDPA STORED HIS RICE COOKER IN THE OVEN, SO BEFORE WE LEFT TO COME HOME WE HAD TO MAKE A QUICK TRIP TO SEARS TO BUY A NEW ONE. 
ONE LAST COMMENT....I HAVE TO SAY I LOVE MY NEW CAR, IT WAS SO NICE TO TRAVEL TO UTAH IN.  I AM SO GLAD TO GET RID OF MY LITTLE CAR FOR SOMETHING THAT I CAN STRETCH MY LEGS OUT IN.