Miraculous happenings

So, I've been promising this one for a while. This last week was spent partly in Palisade picking, sorting, and packing peaches; and partly in Montrose haying and canning peaches. But while we were in Palisade, the most amazing thing happened.



I was standing at the back of the peach trailor, sorting peaches, and trying to survive the hot sun. If any of you are from the deep south you're probably laughing at me now. Yes, it was only about ninety five degrees with not too high humidity. But I'm used to the high mountain breezes, and the temperature being around eighty degrees.



Anyway, I was standing there, trying not to pass out when I heard a commotion behind me. My uncle Dan and my sister, Hannah, were picking peaches back there, and I turned around just as a dove flew out of the tree they were picking. Pretty soon Hannah called for me to come over. So I did, and saw a little nest with two tiny ugly little doves in it. That was a shocker! I've only seen killdeer nests up close.



So, we got back to work, and let the doves alone in peace. Hannah and Dan had moved further along the row, and maybe onto another one, when Hannah started hearing a tiny little humming noise every time she picked a peach. Finally she realized it was coming from the tree, so she started looking, and she found a tiny little hummingbird nest. It had one baby in it, and it kept humming in a high pitched tone for it's mother. It was hungry, and we left it alone after a couple minutes. But those sights stayed with me all day. How rare is it to see a hummingbird nest with a little baby in it? I had a wonderful trip, but I'm glad to be back home for a few days.

Stories of Mexico

In 2008 I went on a trip that changed my life. Deep into the heart of Chihuahua State, Mexico. After you get through the border, you have to travel around 4 hours to get to Chihuahua city. From there, you go to Cuatemoc, and from there further into the depths of the Copper Canyon, The largest canyon in Mexico. We finally got to Sante Isobel (the town after Cuatemoc) around 2:00 in the afternoon. We decided to stop for the ice cream bars we'd heard so much about. Having three vans filled mostly with teenagers, doesn't make things go very fast. It took us about fifteen or thirty minutes to get everyone back in the vans with ice cream bars. Going on our way, we made it to the next town in around an hour and a half, from what I remember. We had barely crossed into city limits, when we saw members of the police and Mexican army standing along the street. We wondered what was going on, especially since they all had bandanas across their faces, masking their identity. Driving slowly along, we passed a car with a dead man in it. A shot had ended his life quickly enough. then we passed three people trying to perform CPR on another man laying out on the road. A bit further there was a dog lying by the side of the road, all shot up. When we got to the next town, we found out there had been a fight between the two Mexican Drug Cartels. We had missed it. But by how much? And how did we ever even think to stop and have ice cream instead of going straight through? How close did we come to being in the middle of the whole battle? Having God on your side is worth it! Take my word for it!

Riding the horse of life

I should have posted this a couple weeks ago, for my Dad. But I think now is as good a time as any to honor him.

When all of us younger kids got our first horse, we knew next to nothing about riding. So Dad began taking us out once a week, saddling our horse, and taking her for short rides around.

I mainly remember his gentleness in reminding me where to hold the reigns, how to mount, etc. It was always in a gentle voice, with no harsh tones or hard words. When I think of riding horses, this in one of the good memories, looking back to when I first got over my paralysing fear of horses, and was able to actually ride with no fear at all!

Learning to ride that horse was kind of like learning to live. I fell off so many horses when I was younger, and had to get back on. I've fallen off how I should live so many times, and somehow I've managed to get back on. Mainly with my parents direction.

Thanks Dad for being able to look back at how you helped me to not fear, and being able to look forward to training my children in the same way. I love you!

Sowing Seeds

When I was little, one of my homework assignments was to write a story. I really don't remember what I was supposed to write, except maybe that it had to do with bringing people to church. Maybe. Anyway, I can remember staring at that piece of paper, and honestly believing I couldn't write that story. I also remember my Mom sitting next to me, thinking out loud with ideas and words that I could use. Right now, looking at that story, I can laugh at the misspellings, the bad grammar, and all the little things that could never work. But my Mom planted in me a seed to write. I doubt she remembers that homework assignment, although I'm pretty sure she remembers the terrible and mysterious "Wahanee and the great big storm" which had my model horse as a hero. When my Mom helped me write that, it was not just the one-on-one time that I craved. It was sacrificing of her time and lots of energy to help me be fulfilled. It was the encouragement of hearing her say "That's a good idea, can we put it here?" It was the fact that she was never impatient, or in a huge hurry to get things done. Those aren't just good memories. They are a basis for my writing now. My Mom sowed seeds in me. Of writing, of patience, of sacrifice. Do you all have a person in your life who inspired you to do the best you can? Or inspired you to do what you're doing now?

Wyoming

Far up in Wyoming, near the Montana border, there is a small town named Shell. And near that town, is a working guest ranch called "The Hideout" It is run by the Flitners. It is also the most beautiful part of Wyoming.

My family and I just spent the last weekend up there visiting my oldest brother and his wife. It was a great time! On Saturday, we were able to visit an airplane graveyard. A huge field of old airplanes. Passenger, bomber, carrier. Anyway, lots and lots of airplanes! We got to climb around in them, and sit in the pilots chairs, and investigate every corner we wanted to poke our noses into. That was probably one of the funnest (is that a word?) afternoons in my lifetime. Including the rain.

On Sunday we went to church in the morning, and were able to eat lunch with the minister and his wife. I think we stressed the poor people in that restaurant out, but they did very well with the 20 people who crowded in. Then we traveled back to Shell in time for a bonfire Sunday evening. That was the perfect ending to a perfect weekend!!! We had a wonderful hostess, and I enjoyed talking with and just being around my family and my brother's family. :)

And now I'm home! :)
God Bless!

Book Review: To Save A Soul. By Nona King

Para Sedi and Munwar Meek are just finishing up a fight with some mercenaries at a tavern, when they get the offer of a job. Being warriors hasn't been helping to fill their purses recently, so without knowing what the job will be, they agree to travel to the small city of Pomeroy to find out what the job entails.

On the way to Pomeroy, they meet an irresistible little Sylvan. Henry Sidgwick. Once they get to the city, they find that the job involves a fifteen year old girl who has disappeared. Everyone believes she is dead. They agree to take the job, and get started immediately.

Para soon finds a compatriot in the city. The brother of the chief suspect, he is a priest, and has had one attempt on his life since the disappearance of the girl.

Can the four of them find the truth before it's too late for the fifteen-year-old Alicia Pomeroy? And can they solve the mystery without disturbing the fragile peace between the two main families of Pomeroy?

To find out, you'll have to read this book. Nona King creates characters that will make you laugh. With scenes that will make shivers chase each other up your spine.

Socorro, New Mexico

Leaving town on Friday evening around 5:00, the group started out for a land far away. OK, it was Mexico. We reached Leadville around midnight if I remember right. I probably don't because I had been asleep for a while. I have found that in Leadville, at midnight, it's cold. Even in June. Leadville is the highest town in Colorado. After we got loaded back up, we headed on down the road. The vans were quiet, since most people were sleeping with the murmur of the drivers and the few people who couldn't sleep. We reached Alamosa in time to find that the Wal Mart was the only store open at that ungodly hour. After hurrying through Wal Mart, and trying to keep the group partway together, we finally all got loaded to get on down the road. By the time breakfast came around, we were in Socorro, New Mexico. That town has interested me for a while now. I learned once that in Spanish "Socorro" means "Help" I had to wonder who would name a town help. Finally my curiosity overcame me. So I googled it. (Hard thing that. ;)) And I found that Socorro actually was a town that was a huge help to the first expedition of explorers coming north from Mexico. The town was a Pueblo Indian village, and showing no fear of the strangers, the Indians told the explorers what lay ahead. And then gave them a large gift of corn. The leader of the expedition renamed the village Socorro because of the aid the Pueblo Indians gave them. There is no part of that village now standing, but if you go to the Eastern edge of Socorro county, you can find the ruins of the three large Pueblo's that were a sign of the might and power of the Pueblo Indians. Now that my curiosity has been satisfied, I thought I would let y'all know about it too. As for the rest of the adventures going to Mexico, I think I'll let them wait for later. :) God Bless!