November-a busy, beautiful month!

October 31st....

Last post I said I didn't get any pictures of Halloween eve when we had mom and dad and Austin and Sarah Beth over for waffle dinner.  But then I found this picture!  

Someone has been working long, hard hours.

Been loving the puffy clouds!
Thought this was a neat contrast with the dark clouds in front of the whiter ones.
We are very thankful for the rain we've been getting!

Since I was inspired to run after the 1/2 marathon race,
Matthew bought me these.  I really like running in them,
and even wearing them around the house like slippers!

Latest piece of 'artwork'!
I was worried at first because the yellow looked exactly like dried mustard to me!
I paint sparkly paint on top and it looks a bit better.  Hopefully it is someone's color scheme!

The fawns are growing up! I've only seen them once since this picture.
They were enjoying the green grass of my 'yard'.  But recently I've been letting Buttercup,
the horse, out to graze and the deer tend to stay away when she's around.

One Wednesday before I cleaned house, Annie took me out to the ranch to check on
the cattle and make sure their water was running.  It is so pretty and peaceful out there!

They don't use the windmill any more,
I think out here solar is more reliable than wind!
QUITE different than Newfoundland! 

The lady is a really good mother, Annie tells me.

Before leaving she took me up on the hill to look down into the valley.
Slightly to the left of the middle is where we had been.

Aunt Carol had a tea party for some of the young mothers so I got to babysit Olivia and Ronan!

Eating lunch.  They had new water bottles and when you press the button the mouth piece flips up, sometimes with a little bit of water.  They both think it is hilarious, especially Ronan!  He would get the hugest grin while doing it. I have some video but apparently they won't play so I won't take up space with them right now.

After cleaning up lunch, I laid this blanket on the floor, turned on some quiet music, gave Ronan his paci and bear.  5 minutes later he was sound asleep.  Oliva colored for a long time, and when Lara got back she wanted to take a nap as well at my house!  It was a joy to have them!

Found an interesting something in my jam one day! 

My hair stylist ;)

Doing dishes one day, I looked out my window to this hawk sitting on the tree (that is no longer there, more on that later).  I took a picture on my phone but it didn't turn out.  So I got Matthew's camera and then took a picture of the picture!  Don't know what kind this is, but he comes around regularly.  Yesterday he flew so close over me without me knowing what it was, that it scared me!

One of Cherisa and Nelson's last roses at their house.
It was one of the last times I went over there.
They moved over Thanksgiving weekend into a trailer on
Ron and Sue's property.  I miss having her right around the corner!

Kevin and Addie's new rental.  It is super cute and spacious compared to the other one.
It is basically right across from the train station.

 My latest project has been Buttercup!  She's Mr. and Mrs. Neilson's horse, approximately 16 years old.  She lives out in the pasture, is fed twice a day and that's about it.  Her fly mask was torn and no longer necessary with 'winter' being here, and Mrs. Neilson wanted it off, but couldn't do it herself.  I decided to make friends and see if I could do it.  Well, Mrs. Neilson's son apparently finally took it off two weeks ago (I wasn't quite confident enough to do it yet), but I'm still enjoying working with Buttercup.  She loves to be curried and stands still without being tied on to anything.  It has been fun to have an animal connection again.

One of Matthew's pictures.

 Another morning with Annie out on the ranch!

The truck was loaded and Cooper (the dog) running in circles with excitement when I got there.

It is probably much greener, and muddier, now, but this is a pond.  Where?
Yeah, I know!  Where the tall grass and bushes are growing.

Two calves.

And some other wildlife we saw!  Okay, I have to admit that Annie took this picture for me!
I got out of the truck to see it, but didn't want to get right above it to take a picture!
It was actually on the small side.

One day Sarah Beth came over to sew!
She has a skirt she loves and wears all the time and wanted one like it.
So we tried to copy it and came with a pretty good skirt.
There are just a few modifications for next time to make it a little more perfect.
It was a fun time together with quesadillas and Taco Works chips for lunch.

Finally a free Saturday and Matthew completely better from his cold!
Yay!  Out to Montana de Oro to hike Valencia Peak.

The peak in the fog!

It was fun to have Dad with us!
Once we got to the top the fog had closed in enough that we couldn't see anything.
Dad said he was thinking of Moses on the Mount!
But it was still really pretty and peaceful up there in a world of our own. 

Crazy to see the rocks exposed in layers like this right here and then a different direction a little ways away.

My Mr. Awesome!

Me on the Mt. 

Dad made it, even with one trekking pole! ;) 

There were flowers all along the way and when we got to the top, there was a little cross with flowers and names of people writing to a Sabrina.  She had died on the 11th of November and was born in '94 I think.  Kind of sobering.  We aren't promised tomorrow, what am I doing with today?

Looking out towards Morro Rock.

I had washed this rug and had it hanging to dry on the front porch.  The morning sunshine was hitting it as we ate breakfast and Matthew thought it would be a neat photo.  I think so too.

Blurry, I know, but so cute!
Got to babysit Hailey for a tiny bit one afternoon.
Matthew was very disappointed that she was gone before he got home!

Before 

 After...

My treehouse feels naked and exposed now!
It is really nice for the mess to be gone of pine
needles, sap, tree dirt, bird poop..etc.
to be gone, but I do miss the trees,
 hearing the birds, and watching the squirrels.

At the store I bought a big jar of dill pickles!
But when I got home, I couldn't get the lid off to eat one.
With much perseverance, it finally did come off
and I ate my pickle with relish.  Wait.. that's a chopped up pickle...
Actually I ate it with potato chips :)
(No, not caramel or chocolate or ice cream - I'm NOT pregnant!)

Another project completed!
Thanks to Addie, I got pictures of it and it is on etsy!
I used Cassie's cradle and the nice hardwood floor at their house for props.

Over the Thanksgiving holidays, a neighbor asked me to feed their pets.
This is the view from their house!

This is their house.

Thursday afternoon we hiked Pine Mt. with dad, mom, Austin, SB, Nelson, Cherisa, and Hailey.

Or rather Hailey rode with us!

Neat old tree

On Saturday after Thanksgiving, we went golfing with
Eric, Annie, Derrick, Maggie, Nelson, Cherisa (and Hailey),
Jon and Kris.  It was the first time for several of us so
 we had company way out in the rough!  It was a lot of fun.
That evening Eric and Annie had us all over for a soup dinner
and ping-pong.  It was an enjoyable time being together.

Beginning of another rug...

"Say 'lettuce' Buttercup!"

Progress...

Momma sent out a few things with Sonja.
This old picture was in an envelope of pictures.

Buttercup trying to eat a tortilla!  It was really funny,
but I don't think she appreciated me laughing at her!

Wednesday, Annie told me when they were going to be bucking some young bulls.

It was fun to watch and also meet the horses and dogs, and people, out there!

I wished that I had Matthew's camera!
I love trying to get action pictures, though I'm not very good at taking pictures.

This one did pretty good, if I remember correctly.  It was hard for me to keep track!

It was so peaceful and pretty out there in the hills.  

Coming home, there was fog was rolling in over the hills, a green tint to the smooth, 

rolling hills, the air fresh washed with rain, the fading sunshine crisp and clear.

Love it!

Have a great December everyone and I'll be back with some posting sometime in January probably!