Walter Cronkite and Big Foot!

The last few days have been great, but I have been so busy I've not had time to write. Yesterday our dear friend Jim aka The Mineral Man sent me a video on how to open a food storage can without the use of a can opener or knife and it was totally amazing.

So tomorrow morning when our great friends/volunteers come out I am going to try to make a video of us trying this survival technique. Anyway, I think everyone should know about this, so I am posting the link to the video, so you too will know how to do this: Here's the link: How to open a food storage can.

Today has been more than great, because we had an fantastic adoption. Last Monday, Di and Jerry called me to make an appointment to come out later that day to check out our dogs, because they were hoping to adopt one of them. And Tony and I feel in love with this really nice, dog-loving couple as we showed them around and introduced them to our rescued dogs.

So, this morning around 11:45, they came out and adopted our super dog Walter Cronkite. A lovable 1.5 year-old Lab mix. And if all goes well he will have a fabulous family and home! So everyone please keep your fingers crossed for Walter. I snapped this picture of Walt with his new family, before they put him in their car and drove away.

This evening after I talk to my good friend Cindy, in Northern New Mexico, I plan to watch a movie and then read awhile before going to bed early. And since that's about it for tonight, I am going to leave you with a few adorable Big Foot pictures that I took last night while he was sleeping. And if you know anyone who might want to adopt this little giant please ask them to call me at the rescue ranch.

Y'all have a great evening!

Olive Oil!

Yesterday was a really great day. Before doing our chores I went over to the Lodge to visit with Kinky and we had a fun visit. We talked about his exciting, upcoming Southern Discomfort tour and The Friedmans.

After Tony and I had done our chores we went to Kerrville to run a few errands. While we were at Home Depot, buying a Pelonis convection oil filled radiator heater for my writing cabin, that Sandy and Jon Wolfmueller had highly recommended that we get, we ran into our super volunteer Jim and his wife Diane and then in the paint department, then we ran into our dear friend Les and we had a nice visit with him, while my quart of red paint was being mixed.

Our last stop was at Herring Printing to pick up some printing. When we walked into Kerrville's favorite printing shop we were greeted by the friendly employees and then our friend Joe Herring saw us and he came up to the counter to greet us and we had a fun visit with him before heading home.

As soon as we got back home I punched Carlton's button to listen to any new incoming calls. "Hi, Tony and Nancy. This is Kat. My son Bryan has been wanting to adopt a dog and today is his only day off. Could we come out to look at your dogs? Call me."

Forty minutes later, Kat, Dave, Bryan and Molie, the dog that Kat had adopted from us over eight years ago, arrived. After howdies and handshakes we took off to go show them our dogs and before we had finished showing Bryan all of our super dogs—he fell in love with Walter Cronkite. So, we walked Walter down to The Okay Corral, where Molie was waiting, so we could see how they would got along. After a quick "sniff-a-thon" the two dogs were in love with each other, which thrilled all of us. Here is a picture of Molie in Tone's lap and Bryan with his new best friend.

Today has been a great day. This morning when I got up at 6:00, Tony tells me that we had run out of propane during the night and that was why The Cabin was so cold. After I had put on a couple of layers of clothes I suggested that T. bring the new little heater into the house, to see if it could help warm us up. And I am glad that he did, because in no time flat—The Cabin was warm and cozy, thanks to Olive Oil.

Before Tony returned home from the Old Timer, I called Wolfmueller Books. "Morning, Jon. I just wanted to let you know that we bought one of those oil filled radiator heaters at Home Depot and we love it. During the night we ran out of propane and early this morning we plugged her in and she really helped warm up our trailer...Tell Sandy I named her Olive Oil. Bye." 

Around 9:30, when we had just started our morning chores Jim, Roy & Della and Ellen, our super volunteers came out to walk our dogs and our dogs were more than thrilled about it. 

When I was almost done cleaning the pens our dear friend Maribeth, from Utopia, arrived, because I had called her yesterday morning to invite her to come over and spend the day with us, because Tone and I had been missing her.

After the pens were cleaned, Jim came up to tell me that his sister-in-law Ruth had come out with him, because she wanted me to autograph my first book that I wrote. "She bought it at Wolfmuellers and cannot wait to get you to sign it.

So, on my way up to The Cabin, I stopped at Jim's truck, next to the barn and greeted Ruth and then I invited her to join me and Maribeth for a visit and a cup of tea in The Cabin.

The minute I introduced Maribeth to Ruth our fun hen party started and it was filled with hilarious confessions and some funny true-life stories, as Belle slept in her chair and Roy snoozed below her on his quilt.

Later this afternoon, Maribeth, Tony and I met Ellen for a late lunch in Kerrville and it was a lot of fun. Before heading home we swung by Home Depot, so I could pick up another one of those heaters like Olive Oil and then Buttermilk took us back to the ranch.

Around 4:00, as we were outside saying goodbye to Maribeth—the propane man arrived in his gigantic truck, to fill us up, which filled me with relief, knowing that we would have central heat tonight and not have to use the twins—Olive and Safflower Oil. 

Once again, I want to wish my dear friend 'Erb Cares a happy birthday and I hope that it has been the best ever for him and that is about it for today.

Y'all have a great evening!

Why Bee?

Today has been pretty quiet and I have enjoyed it. This morning I walked six miles with Sansone, and I talked to my sister Cindy, on the speaker phone, and we had a nice visit, as I walked the sixth mile.

For lunch today I made soup from a package, because it only takes twelve minutes to make. I fixed Bear Creek's—Santa Fe Chipolte soup and Tony loved it and so did I. Since there was quite a bit of soup left over, I called Kinky and asked him if he wanted some of my homemade soup.

An hour later, Kinky called to thank me for the soup and to tell me that he liked it, too. After he asked me what was in it, I lied and told him, "Oh, a little bit of this and that," because he thought it was homemade. And then I told him the truth about it being a Bear Creek Soup.

Around one-thirty the dogs started barking outside. Since T. was gone to run an errand, I went outside and met two very nice women. "Are you Cousin Nancy?"

"Yes, I am and welcome to the rescue ranch."

"My name is Laura and I am one of the NoMads. I know you know Mari." Then Laura introduced me to her friend.

"Yes, I know Mari very well and I think the world of her," I said. "If you're a friend of Mari's your a friend of mine. Why don't y'all let me give you a tour of the rescue ranch?" Before we went on a tour I showed them the new NoMad, pen sponsored, sign and they loved it.

Yesterday, we went to Hoegemeyers, because Harry Reasoner, a little dog that we rescued last week, was ready to come home to the rescue ranch. Harry has already stolen our hearts and I know that he will be adopted quickly, because he is so sweet and adorable.

Around three o'clock today Tony and I went outside, so I could take pictures of the three dogs that we've recently rescued, so Pat can post them on our web site. Lily is a beautiful three to four year Catahoula mix and she is sweet, well-trained and to say the least—a great dog. Here's....... Lily!

I am in love with Walter Cronkite and took this picture of him today. Walter is approximately one year old and is part German Shepherd and Basset Hound. He has the sweetest personality and I wish that we could adopt him, but we are living with assisted-living, old dogs and it wouldn't be fair to them. Here's.......Walter!

And now folks, here's.... Harry Reasoner! He is the cutest little dog that loves to cuddle and give away kisses. He is not hyper and he gets along great with other dogs and he is one to two years old. Harry has stolen my heart, too and I know that he will get his forever home sooner than later.

Early this evening I asked Tony to give me two of his pictures that he took of the honey bees eating our bird seed. Yes, eating our birdseed—why bee? We've never seen anything like it and for some reason since it has warmed up, we have so many honey bees in our bird feeders that the birds can't eat. If any of y'all can explain this, I sure would appreciate it. We have not changed birdseed brands and don't know how to get the bees to leave the feeders. Here are Tone's pictures that he took a few days ago.

This evening before coming inside I went into Outer Space and took this picture of my new flowers and laughed when I saw Smokey the Bear. 

Y'all have a great evening!

May The Force Be With Y'all!

This morning I was feeling a little down because of no sunshine for too many days, because I am one of those people who literally powers-up on sunshiny days. So, I've come up with a new name for people like me, who are so affected by the lack of sunshine and it is—WASP! And it doesn't stand for White Anglo Saxon Protestants. It means "We Are Solar-Powered-People!" And for all you WASPS out there reading this, you'll understand why my mood drastically changed for the better, when the sun finally came out this afternoon, as Trigger took us to Kerrville to run two errands.

Our first stop was at Home Depot, so I could buy some lumber, screws, paint and nails for my nail gun, for my upcoming Space Ship Project which is scheduled to start tomorrow afternoon, after I return phone calls, e-mails and do some paperwork, because it has been predicted that the sun will be out in full Force to power-me-up! So I guess my new sign-off for now, on e-mails etc., is going to be the same as the "Star Wars" famous saying—"May The Force Be With You!"

After we left Home Depot we went to Hoegemeyer Animal Clinic to pick up Walter Cronkite and Cowboy, but Cowboy wasn't ready to come home, because he had torn out his stitches. Here is a  picture of our new rescue ranch anchordog, Cronkite, in the front yard of my cabin. He is one great, happy dog and is so sweet. In fact, he kissed T. and me non-stop as we drove him home. Tomorrow I will take his official "glamour shot" for our web site and post it on my blog tomorrow night. Isn't he adorable!

Early this evening I went over to the Lodge to visit with Kinky and he was thrilled when I told him the good news that Dustin Hoffman was being adopted on Thursday by the Kemp Family. While I was over there he showed me a beautiful, black & white photo that Billy Joe Shaver had sent to him, of Billy Joe and Kris Kristofferson standing side-by-side, in their late twenties or early thirties and I absolutely loved it. After that, we went outside and played with The Friedmans for a while. Before leaving, I offered to help Kinky gather some firewood to burn in his Lodge and it turned out that it was an offer that I should not have made.

As I finish writing this blog tonight my foot and butt are somewhat sore, because of the fall that I took when helping Kinky. And here's what happened when I picked up my very first log."Nance, that log is way too big for you," Kinky warned. "Get a smaller one." I laughed and picked up the heavy log anyway.

"I'm fine, Kink. Don't worry about it." Then I tried to take a step, but my pink boot wouldn't budge because it was tangled up in a vine, so I stepped backwards with the other foot to try to free my boot and that's when a rock shifted under my boot and I lost my balance and fell right on my butt and started laughing!

"Are you okay, Nance?" Kinky asked, with concern in his voice, as he came over to help me.

"I'm fine, Kinky," I said, before laughing, again, as I stood up and brushed off the back of my 501 Levis. "I just lost my balance, again, that's all. You know how I am always tripping or falling on something outside. And that's why I don't like to walk outside because I..."

"Well, I must say that it was a really great fall, Nance," Kinky said, as we both started laughing about it, and loaded our original two heavy logs into the bed of Kink's pickup, Mr. Green Jeans. "It was as good or better than any of Chevy Chase's famous falls. He was so good at that and..."

Have a great evening and May the Force Be With Y'all!