Update

     After our trip to Indian Hot Springs I realized that we really need a 4 wheel drive. We went in search of one even though Stephen said he was going to make his truck into a dunebuggy. We found a great 4 wheel drive in El Paso and so far we have found that the ride is much smoother when traveling on dirt roads.
     Everything has been going well at the ranch and the work on the patio is coming along well. I have layed enough rock to cover a 12x16 foot area but still need to make the patio another 24 feet long. We bought shelving for our kitchen today and it is going to give us a lot more storage space so we are pretty excited. We will try to get it put in tomorrow.
     There has been a lot of movement on the ranch lately. The cooler temperatures probably have something to do with that. Last week I thought I saw a small black bear on the road near the ranch and I asked a friend about bears in the area. He said that there are a few sightings but it is rare. A couple nights ago the dogs were barking like crazy but when we went out to investigate we didn't find anything. The next morning we found a set of tracks but could not identify them. After showing them to a friend who bear hunts he said he thought they were from a bear cub. Here is a picture of them.


      Area football teams have been supporting cancer awareness by wearing pink. I have watched team after team wear pink. Some of the players wear pink wrist bands, some wear pink knee pads, and my favorite is the knee high pink socks worn by Ft. Hancock Varsity players on their "Tough Enough to Wear Pink" night.

     

 

 

 

      The cutest thing happened to me a couple days ago while working. A little girl, about 6 or 7, asked if I was the newspaper lady. I said that I was and she asked if I was writing about the volley ball game. I told her that I was. She said that she wants to be like me and do what I do when she grows up. I hope she gets to because she was very verbal during the game and knew everything that was going on. She told me everytime they scored a serving point or what happened when they didn't. Very cute!

      I have a very busy week ahead of me but I will try to keep my blog updated....

    
    

Sharing Ideas

    I have done a lot of things that are not listed on my bucket list but they may be good ideas for someone to add to theirs. Here are a few of those things...

Swim in Barton Springs Pool (Austin, Texas)
Climb the Dunes at Crystal Lake (Mears, Michigan)
Have a drink on the Riverwalk (San Antonio, Texas)
Dive for Sand Dollars at Padre Island National Seashore in Texas
Have Oatmeal dumped on you from a plane (Bertram, Texas)
Ride the Wooden Roller Coaster at Michigan Adventure (Muskegon, Michigan)
Climb Enchanted Rock near (Fredricksburg, Texas)
Ride the buckboard to Lyndon Johnson's boyhood home ( Johnson City, Texas)
Eat icecream made from fresh snow
Tubing on the Guadalupe River (Gruene, Texas)
Climb the steps to the top of Mt. Bonnel (Austin, Texas)
Canoe the White River (Hesperia, Michigan)
Visit the Mystery Spot (Saint Ignace, Michigan)
Walk out to North Breakwater Lighthouse at Stearns Park (Ludington, Michigan)
Walk the red brick road (Elk City, Oklahoma)
Eat icecream made from fresh kelp
Make an igloo from snow and climb inside
Ride a horse bareback
See the Lotus flowers in bloom on Lake Caddo (Uncertain, Texas)
Dance in the rain
Ride a bicycle with no hands
Fish for Striper below Whitney Dam (Laguna Park, Texas)
Build a tree house
Try deep frying new things (We tried bubble gum, tomatoes, pickles, lettuce, cookies, etc)
Stand on top of a waterfall and sing at the top of your lungs
Let the fish eat peanutbutter off your fingers in the creek at Balmorhea State Park (Balmorhea,Texas)
Climb to the top of Red Bluff (Bastrop, Texas)
Icefishing on Lake Michigan
Eat fried cactus
Go to the beach at midnight and sit with just the light of a fire
Jump from a waterfall
Watch the sun set at Carlos and Charley's at Lake Travis (Austin, Texas)
Look for snakes at Palmetto State Park (Gonzales, Texas)
Feed the peacocks at Mayfield Park (Austin, Texas)
Swim in the cool freshwater springs of Balmorhea (Balmorhea, Texas)
Visit the Capital building in Austin, Texas
Have a picnic in the middle of a wide open field
Ghosthunting in Goliad, Texas
Watch dolphins swim at Goose Island State Park


Not responsible for people who do any of the things I have and cause injury to themselves or others!

Beauty in the Desert

    I love the desert life and everyone I know keeps asking me why. It is hard to put into words what can only be described as beautiful scenery, quiet nights, and the feel of tranquility when you look up at a million stars or when you wake up in the clouds.
     I add pictures occassionally in hopes of showing the real beauty there is in living the desert life. Here are a few more that can say what I cannot.

 

 

    

Elephant Butte State Park

   Now that I am marking things off of our bucket list, I need to get back to a few things we did but have not written about. We traveled into New Mexico for the second time about a month ago. We went to Elephant Butte State Park as well as Truth or Consequences. While traveling we also went through the town of Hatch which made for some great photos of giant men.... lol.

 

 

            We stayed the night in TorC, as some call it, and the next morning we went fishing below the dam. After a bit of fishing we traveled up to the park to check it out. The lake had dropped several feet due to the fact that it is a major source of water for those in the area and downstream. At the time we were there they were letting out a lot of water.
           The parks were nice and the town even had hot springs of their own. I decided that this was one place I would bring Stephen's parents to. There were tons of shops to keep Virginia occupied while the guys fish and then we can soak in the hot springs. We are planning the trip for next month some time.

 

 

   
         

Indian Hot Springs

    About a month ago a friend of ours invited us out to Indian Hot Springs. We headed out and soon found that my truck would never make it. We knew we would need to take the S-10 or end up stuck or having to deal with flat tires so we turned my Quad Cab around and decided to make the trip at a later date.
    Last Friday night we were at the game and David told us we should definitely make the trip out to see him. So Stephen decided that since it was on our bucket list and we had just helped move his parents here that we should make a day of it and take them out to see it.
     Yesterday, just after noon, we loaded up in the S-10... Stephen driving with his dad by his side and Virginia and I in the back, and we headed to Indian Hot Springs. We knew the road was rough because we had made the previous attempt but sitting in the back you had a full view of just how rough it was. Some places were just wide enough to get through with the small truck.... 500 foot drop offs on each side. In other areas the road was washed out leaving huge gaps or rocks that tried to tear the truck apart.
     The views were amazing and as Virginia sat beside me praying for God to keep us from going over the cliffs, I took pictures of wild horses, rugged mountains, and rough roads. The closest thing I could compare it to would be Colorado when I was little but I think this was probably much more beautiful and treacherous.
     Once we arrived at the ranch David took us for a ride in the jeep. I was like a child standing in the back, loving every minute of it. He showed us the graves of the Buffalo Soldiers and all of the Hot Springs and I, of course, had to put my hands in them. The water was warm and made me want to just jump right in. He also told us about the history of Indian Hot Springs.
     Then we went down to the river to fish at Mayfield Canyon. It was awesome and the canyon walls were monstrous. We got to mark two things off our bucket list since we fished in the Rio Grande. It was almost as if fate had taken them to that spot because it is a place that very few get to see and since it is private land, even fewer will see it now. The lands there are so wild and adventurous. We were blessed to even be there.
     The strangest thing about the trip was a picture I found after loading them from our trip. Everyone kept talking about how much Jay would have loved to make the trip and I kept saying that I was sure he was there with us. In the end I found a picture that makes me believe that he was. It looks like a wooden cross but there were no wooden crosses that I saw and it seems to be close to us. I never noticed anything when taking the pictures and I have several angles of the same shot and only this one has a cross in it. Virginia says it is from all the praying that we wouldn't die but I feel that Grandpa was there. I will ask David if he has ever seen one there, next time I see him.
      I almost forgot one of the best parts (funny coincidence too) David's daughter told me that there is a Chupacabra living out there. I told her that if they catch it they can set it free on our ranch where it will feel at home!

                   Pictures from the journey in....

 

 

Pictures once we arrived.....

 

 

 

 

 

Pictures going out....

 

 

 

 

My First Job in Media

     I have been blessed because I went into a small shop in Sierra Blanca where I met a woman who seemed very curious about the new people in town. She asked us many questions about our lives, family, and where we came from. She then asked what we do for a living. We told her about our travels with Stephen's job and that I was currently a journalism student. She told me that I should consider writing for the newspaper. She said that she saw an opening, in the paper, that I should call about.
     I thought about it for a week or so and tossed the idea around. Stephen and I discussed whether or not it would work with his job and our travels but finally decided that it was just a phone call and didn't even guarantee a job so why did it matter. So, when we returned from another week in Sonora, I called the paper and talked to Drew. I told him that I was majoring in journalism and had not finished my degree but I thought the experience would really help me. I also told him that I was a photographer and I would like to be considered for my photographs. We decided to get together at a later date and I sent him a link to this blog so he could review some of my work. We went out of town for another week but I sent in some of my work for him to view.
     Upon return to Sierra Blanca I called Drew to see if I could come in to meet with him. After the meeting I was sure that I was hired. He gave me a few stories to cover and asked me to make some changes to one of the stories I sent in for his review. The next week I emailed him my work along with some images. On Friday, my first works came out in print in the Hudspeth County Herald. I was very excited and consider myself to be very lucky that he has given me this opportunity. I have been with the paper for a few months now and I love it. I strive for improvement in my sports stories.
      At first, everyone just called me the newspaper lady but now they know my name. They tell me all the time how much they love my work and appreciate me being here. I hope that I can be a part of this paper for a long time, the one that gave me my chance!
    

Franklin Mountain State Park

   A few months ago we went to the Franklin Mountains State Park. I meant to blog about it earlier but it is an experience you won't forget.
   We decided to take the 1.2 mile round trip hike to the Aztec Caves. It stated that it was a moderate hike and good for small children. The hike started out with ease and then began to become more active. There were hills that went up and down with some steps built in. We were surprised that they had this trail set as good for small children because some of the built in steps were so high up that I could barely get my toes up to the step and then Stephen would have to pull me up. The trail began to turn to a straight up climb.
   I began to think I would not make it to the caves. It was a lot tougher than I thought it would be and I kept thinking about those poor parents who thought they could make this hike with their children. I could just imagine them having to carry them the last half of the hike which was almost all up hill or mountain.... and the steps were huge and almost unreachable especially for short legs.
   I kept the goal in mind. It was over 100 degrees outside but I knew a cool relaxing rest awaited me in the cave above. I was on the verge of tears at some point feeling that I wouldn't make it. I had to go off trail to find a way around a step that was over two feet high. Rocks slipped under my feet and rolled down the hill. We rested a few times in the only small shaded areas we could find. There are several benches along the trail but most are not shaded. There is an area that is covered for picnics.
   The climb to the top took us over an hour. I finally reached the top and felt success. I can't imagine how the Aztecs climbed it every day(without the trails). The view was amazing and the temperature inside the cave was probably in the 60s. There were some drawings in the cave that I am sure were not true Aztec drawings. There were two different sections. It smelled like fresh dirt and maybe mushrooms... a real musky smell but not overbearing. I was so glad that I made it to the top and got to see it and be where the Aztecs had.

 

 

Work on the Ranch

    We have been working hard at the house. We finally started to lay rock for our patio. Stephen was up in the air about the final size the patio would be but we finally decided on the 12x40. We spent an entire day laying rock. We only finished an 8x12 so we have so much more work to do. My legs were sore for three days from the lifting, bending, digging and shifting of the rocks to make them just perfect. I have to let my legs recover before starting the next section but we have to build the patio up to 5 times as big so I am hoping that we can do a bit more on the next run.
     Since we were waiting to work rock again we decided to install a small seating area where we could enjoy a drink. We concreted it in so it looks really nice. The first night we had it up our friend, David, came out with his cousin and we enjoyed some wine and good conversation.
      Yesterday we got up to a crisp 43 degrees. Stephen went hunting and saw a fresh rub but nothing else. Then we started planting trees. We planted an ash, pecan, and six elms around the house. We then went down to the shop and planted eight peach trees near our water tank. We want to plant at least seven more.
      Today we are going to start setting post for fencing. We have to keep the deer out of the orchard if we want to keep any peaches for ourselves. We will be planting a garden in the spring so we are going to start preparing the soil for that as well. I am loving the improvements we have made. It is so nice to be able to create something from your own hands and call it home!