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Saturday, July 31, 2010

I am dissapointed in myself.

I love camping, I more than enjoy being outside and experiencing what ever mother nature throws at me... BUT this last PLUSH trip made I realized I am either getting old or I am WAY TOO PAMPERED. I can only assume it is both!

When I normally camp I sleep on the ground with three mats below me, an old WOOL sleeping bag and in a newer more realistic sleeping bag.

This time I got to sleep in a BED... now while this is PLUSH... my mind loved it, my body ???? not so sure the ground wouldn't have done just as well.... the bed however was ? so questionable a bean bag was placed over it in order to tolerate how ??? different it was.

I so enjoyed my time camping but my body was starting to have its issues with my choices. when I got home, although LATE for me... plus or minus midnight... I didn't move a muscle for a good Ten hours... Jerry got out of bed before I did! That is an earth stopping event! it had to be the shock of being back in my luxury bed at home.

When I normally camp I have to use the woods ,the privy... (basic out house) or what ever is available. This time I was in a camper and had a toilet at my every whim. But... being as it were... I have always carried paper with me no matter where I go.. yes especially out of the country.. but when using a privy OR a biologically balanced system one must use paper that is more easily eaten by the bacteria and or it's environment...

This has NEVER bothered me before! It didn't REALLY bother me this time ... but that FIRST sit in the "library" at home with my lush paper and my solid thrown ... well felt right. What is happening to my adventurous side? Or am I really getting this old?

I must have had expectations! I never allow myself to expect anything of a vacation, but somehow with in the dark corners of my mind, because I was staying in the country, I was going to be camping in HIGH STYLE, my mind did not settle into the roughness it has always enjoyed.

I have no idea what has happened to me. 40 didn't bother me! but 45 just might! Why am I loosing my ability to adapt to anything? or am I just coming to realize my life is MORE PLUSH than I thought, although VERY simple compared to most. More simple than some / most... even family members dare to experience with me as a visit, as they prefer a hotel to my house! My life is better than I realized and thus ... I have to finally admit I am once again a spoiled women. Not like most! Not with money spent and expectations of the finer things in life but... with the little things not everyone has.

I will have to pitch my tent! have a rough time of it after this next little time off. I must, put my mind back into the frame of accepting what ever mother nature throws at me... and not expect such spoiled attitudes from with in. I am disappointed in myself. I expected ? something? I hate entitlements! I am not entitled to anything! I am human and I must work, prove, and earn what I have.

But in all fareness this trip was not about camping (to me) it was about sharing an experience with my Father/ Daddy...so we each had memories to carry with our soals for ever after.   I love travel, I enjoy camping, but memories shared with family is like blood in your veins, life supporting.  Make it happen! Do it!  Share life with those you love.

Friday, July 30, 2010

how do you pack for a vacation?

I'm the vacation packing person BUT my husband is the most organized. He has a list (from pre me days) that he checks off every thing one mark at a time

Here is my basic...
1. No matter how long we are going ... you only pack three days of clothes THAT CAN ALL MIX AND MATCH.  xmpl... if I were going to ? Paris, I would change bottoms listed below for this trip for black long skirt, gray pencil, and khaki mid length.  Tops for White blouse, Green abstract cut blouse and a basic long sleeve mock-turtleneck all interchangeable... but do able and all able to layer, or unlayer at a moments notice.  I would not take hiking boots but my trusty nice basic comfortable black or brown shoe instead.  life is simple if you MAKE it simple.
     a. my basic wardrobe...

          A belt

          Red Long Sleeve Shirt
          khaki Pants with air wholes
          Red t-shirt mid arm length,
          red thick socks, smart wool thin socks,
          Black Sports Bra, Pink Sports Bra

          Blue Long Sleeve Shirt
         khaki Pants with Zipper shorts
          Blue air shirt,
          Blue Thick socks, blue smart wool thin socks,
          Orange with blue flower sports bra, Blue Stripe Sports Bra

          Green Long Sleeve Shirt
          Darker khaki Pants heaver...
          Green Air Shirt,
          Green Thick Socks, Cream Thin wool Socks
          White Sports Bra x2

2. I do however carry twice as much underclothes? so... three pair of thick socks, three pair of thin socks, and more sports bras, panties etc... all as noted above in my basics.  Things can happen, item not drying fast enough, getting horribly dirty in one day, or just clean fresh close items for ??? after you get ..... relaxed, showed and ? pampered.   I generally wash my clothes from THAT day... in the evening when I take my shower.  Scrub... Soap it's all there!

3. I like to carry two black dresses for night time going out... BUT I often cut this down to ONE with added accessories to spice it up or down.
     I take a black polyester dress and a black cotton wrap IF I have room.  I take two necklaces always costume never flashy or looks of expense?  and a scarf or two if I have room, (these I take nice... it's safe enough)

4. Shoes... three pair MAX ? why so many? well.  One for going out ... HIGH HEELS This time I am taking red shoes dull, basic and classic?, One for hiking ( my trusty barn boots with smells and all... just joking I always clean them well and even deodorize the inside... you will see why later), for the woods, streets, or mud puddles.  and last shower shoes (my trusty old plastic things... I hate taking them BUT great for walking around in a hotel AND easy to get through airport customs etc...) for third world or camping! trust me... you need them all.   I do however mix it up a little if going out and doing more comfortable city walking instead of hiking...I take a pretty comfortable but NOT Sassy or Show stopping pair of shoes.  Don't call attention to your self wearing nice, or expensive shoes; in some places this can get you hurt.

5. FOOD?  What? yep! I never EVER travel without food.  Sound crazy? well try getting stuck in an airport in a foreign country!  Third World with no ANYTHING... I've been in air ports that are smaller than a neighborhood bus stop. Literally... you were lucky if there was enough room under the overhang to get out of the sun.  Take something with you,  I take horrible things people are afraid of, it keep the kids from begging and I know I will not be bothered.  Potted meats! Sardines! and a bamboo fork, spoon and knife!   yea laugh at me now! just wait till you get stuck between exchanging money and nothing! I even carried these with me to Yellowstone, and almost had to use them! Another 5 minutes and I would have been stuck for 24 hours... then what?

6. Toiletries!  I always take a new tooth brush, un opened, and a travel size roll of TOILET PAPER in my carry on, just in case! I keep travel size everything in my house for bikers who stop by and have nothing with them, so... I grab what I might need.  For you it's just as simple, go to K mart... Large grocery chain... and get a sample size of what ever you need, lip balm, shampoo, conditioner, soaps, deodorant, germ cleaner, static cling free ... they have EVERYTHING... ask my sister! I love giving the kids these little things when they come to stay overnight!  It adds to their fun here and given them a sense of ownership and being special.  What samples I can not get in a must have brand... I pack in TINY carry on sizes in the required zip lock bag.  I have a label maker and make sure I know what they are, but a permanent marker would do just as well.  Too much trouble... may be so, but I don't suffer while I'm gone!  I have everything I need and enjoy my time away!

7 Carry on!  Always pack your carry on FIRST!  Why? because this is going to be EVERYTHING you need IF the world comes to an end!... 
     a. I always carry ONE change of clothes.  I have packed in my carry on... a zip lock with all the RED day in it.    VERY IMPORTANT.... I also have my raincoat in my carry on.
     b. Any sample size you HAVE TO HAVE, tooth paste, deodorant, toothbrush, moisturizer, BUG spray, hand cleaner.
     c. TRUE EMERGENCY things... I have a small light with whistle on it, I have band aids, neosporine, benidrille, DRAMAMINE, dental floss, my new toothbrush etc...
     d. Things you do not want to be with out.  I have a bathing suite and cover up, neck pillow, Eye mask and EAR PLUGS.  Cover up also used as blanket on planes... now they charge you for blankets, pillows, and again ANY FOOD other than a drink.  Be Prepared!

     8. After packing your carry on with EVERYTHING you have to have... pack your suite case. If going to a third world take things with you, you can leave. Old T-shirts, shorts etc. This will also allow you to see what room you may have left over for things you want to bring back... If going some place nice ... you want to look great while gone pack an empty soft bag in your suite case for things you want to bring back. make sure it is not too large, preferably the size of a carry on, but make sure you put NOTHING in it for the trip there.  This is VERY important.  I always have room so... I take snacks to keep my cost of food down.

     9.  Think you don't have room, remember these tips.
          a.  If you put clothes in FREEZER Zip Lock Bags you can squeeze the air out of them and save space. I sit on every bag I zip. 
               This tip also has a second reason.  Any time you go NEAR water of any sort, you luggage is likely to be exposed to fish or seafood.  It will ruin your clothes but not your bag! so protect your clothes as much as you can.
           b. ALWAYS put things in your shoes, just make sure shoes are clean before doing so.  My boots are the perfect size for three pair of socks, three panties, and two sport bras.  make sure you push things tightly into the toes or you are loosing valuable packing space. in between the packed shoes I place my makeup lotions, and other necessities.
          c. Roll things that can wrinkle, I have a bungee around my rain coat, and rubber bands around my cover up/blanket.  It also allows me to put rolls on my small carry on that I am also using as my daily purse/bag for excursions.

Thursday, July 29, 2010

To Do List for Animals.

When Traveling ? this is just the Tip of the Iceberg....It goes on and on...

Animals feed bags... horses . Done...
     Sweet Pea need 15 Bags.   full scoops
     Navarre needs 15 Bags      not even 1/2 scoops
          They get two flakes each in am then again in pm, at pm extra two flakes due to extra time without food.
          Water is to be scrubbed each day, as it gets green very fast this time of year.

     Birds have bags of food, DONE in freezer...
 but they need to eat all the food in their bowls before getting any more.
          Tealie gets meds.... clear/ in water once a day or every other day as long as it stays clean
          Lolita gets meds... clear / in water once a day... her water is always nasty... ? I 'm not sure what she does to it but it's always bad.
          Maya gets food/ water NO MEDS no worries. She seems to be my easiest bird!

Emergency Cages in their room / on the floor next to their purple cabnet.

Notes for house and animal sitters.
Birds Black Mountain Vet's on main road... numbers on bird room door.
Horses, Joe if you need anything... Vet... Ford,  Ferrier is Miller.  you have numbers... so no worries there.
Emergency supplies in Trailer AND in Black Tool Box IN the barn.  Needels, Meds, and temperature contoled issues... on top of book shelf in living room by door... it is all anyone should EVER need... from hammers, pullers for shoes to eye bandages... all within dates. Double Checked ... Done.

Horse Transport, call Karl he has keys to trailer, property etc... CLEANED Done.. no hay mangers, because if a horse is sick I dont want it eating.
They have there own spot in the trailer now too... SweetPea is only loaded on the right.  it has chest and rump bars. 
Navarre is only loaded on the left, due to his being so happy he goes under or over chest and rump bars so there is nothing to hold him in.

Tuesday, July 27, 2010

Magazines.

I find one of my HUGE fetishes is magazines!  How did this happen? Why do I love them so much? What good do they do me?   All very.... good questions, and quite frankly these are questions I get each time I try to share a magazine with someone face to face.

Lets see... I think it all happened from the basics of being a child.  Didn't you love that new notebook of paper for school, how perfect it was, and to imagine what you were going to do with it.  A New Notebook pad for school made me want to do more homework, be organized, and look as pretty as my new clean notebook did.  
Of course... I always got as sloppy as I was before, but that doesn't mean I didn't try each time I got something new.  And truly I knew how hard it was for my parents to come up with the same supplies for three children.  They always played fair... if one of us got something so did the others. 
Even at Christmas, as ADULTS we got to ask for what ever we wanted from OUR PARENTS and Daddy always made sure that what ever the most expensive item was..... the other two got EXACTLY the same amount of money.  Down to writing us checks for pennies. 

So to get a new magazine makes me more happy than getting a new pair of shoes, a dress or even a hat. ( I love hats)

My first magazine is one I only have 4 of them, but reference them for ideas all the time.
Artful Blogging    Art full Blogging Mag information
Visually Inspiring Online Journals
        I enjoy this magazine because I inspires me to take pictures I would not normally take. I took photography as a kid, developed films...black, white and yes color, learned to manipulate photos as I was developing them in the dark room.  But after getting out of high school I never touched a camera, unless I was on vacation.  what a waste! Life has so much to offer in the everyday! It's my passport into my imagination... I look, read, and dream! So I get this magazine as it feeds my soul every four months...

OK... so my next favorite mag is again another I am happy to share, would love to give this as the perfect Christmas Gift, but few in my family think the same way as I do... except my Mother's husband Bill and Daddy.

 number TWO is... Urban Farm  Urban farm online information

I don't care who you are this magazine has something in it you can try! 
Who doesn't love home grown tomatoes?
Who wouldn't enjoy a cheaper grocery bill?
Even if not any of the above, it assist you in searching out local foods so you support your local area, have better quality foods and get out!
Of course every magazine out there that has anything to do with the out doors is pushing composting! so to is this one... but it also gave me alternatives to my composting decisions.  slow, quicker, and as quickly as possible.
Balcony gardens... ?  this is all I had for YEARS... and I've been known to throw plants in the back of a uhaul if I had to.
At any rate it brings the outside challenges down to any ones level as where Hobby Farms is WAY over my head although I have a "hobby farm" expecting someone to have the perfect land, animals, fences, machinery is WAY too much for me to be challenged with.
I have six acres and an OLD gravely no one wants. Do I need to spend 12,000 dollars on a tractor? I wish I could but reality is, I'll be doing most of my work by hand, truck, horse, or gravely so reading magazines that make me feel like I have to keep up with "the Jones'" society does me no good.  so yes I like hobby farm magazine but I no longer get it as it only made me feel worse about my own inabilities.
I can do what ever this magazine has to offer.  I see its ideas and want to apply them in the small scale they are being offered for.  It helps me to dream about the expansion of my little stall barn into other things...
xmpl... using chickens to keep the bugs down on the estate.
I could use them but they would also supply us with eggs, we eat on average an egg and a half a day! It's an average.  Jerry eats ONE egg a day,every day for breakfast.   I eat several if I eat any!
This magazine is only ... like the last published only every season.  I miss having it more and maybe it will grow as time and companies allow! 


So the third mag I get... is Hobby farm HOME...Hobby farm home info...

This one is an in between magazine for me. It gives me ideas, helps with out of the box management of the estate.   BUT it gives me wonderful ideas of how to make money out of my house, or save money within my house, or how to live a little more simple life.

Don't get me wrong I enjoy the finer things in life, but going to a museum, or seeing things displayed beautifully is more rewarding to me than having to keep them clean, make sure nothing happens to them.

I live in a world... that if I am not going to use it, it needs to go!  This applies to everything from closes to fine china.  If it has no purpose, it has no place in my life.  (I will have to post my packing routines soon, as a few have asked of late.)  Although my life of fewer things is more like the rest of the world as apposed to the aggressive practices of most US citizens...
Although taking or saving less physically is starting to become more the practice of more U.S. Citizens each year. 

Personally I am not concerned with the entire world, I am simply trying to do what I can to stand on my own two feet if I need to...AND doing all I do physically is better for ME than paying for a gym membership I would never drive into town to use!  I'd love to have a membership to the Y but ? would I ever get up and go?  probably not.  So why spend the extra money when that money can go into creating a place cheaper for my horses, and then start to support me more than me it!    It's just a dream but... I'm on my way.

Monday, July 26, 2010

Update on barn.

I find that sense I have been away, I can more appreciate what has happened to the estate.  Sound funny?

Every day I got up and the first thing in my mind was... what's the list for the day.

What do I need done today,
In What Order,... thinking through every task in detail in order to not touch things twice, getting things done in a needy fashion.
What is that going to leave me for the next move, what prep do I need to do for tomorrow? 
How can I build this or that and save time, materials, and energy.  What materials do I have that I can use, What materials are going to be necessary to purchase.
Who do I need to call for the barn, metal, wood, etc...
What supplies do I need for the day, Do I have them, What do I need for tomorrow?
Who has the cheapest prices today? Great... call suppliers ASAP... again...
Gas... Gas do we have enough gas and oil?

It was non stop

I find now that I rarely ever just stopped! Looked at all the progress and while I was estattic with daily results I was NOT seeing the full picture.

I now see this place is beautiful... even if I do say so myself!

Thank you Troy, for getting all of this on a roll, I could have never gotten up that first pole without your guidance, help,and teachings.  You are the person that put ALL of this in motion.  Yes I had the thoughts and plans done but I had no one to help me get the thing UP and Ready for animals.

Troy did EVERYTHING he could to stop the world on its axis, and did so. While his life got very busy I was blessed with another man who wanted to work and was willing to work but best of all had the skill to work.  He worked under Troy's direction till I took over having seen all the work Troy had and needed to concentrate on at his real paying job.

Karl is the person that helped me with the roof, walls, floors etc... There is so much detail, we spent hours each day talking things over in detail, making sure we were on the same page of what I expected, wanted and needed long term.

Karl is to be credited with all the craftmanship that has gone into my little barn.

Its functions are simple but this is what I wanted,
Its looks are rustic, but this is what I needed in order to fit into the area I have placed the barn.  I did not want it to stand out too badly in the winter.  I can only hope my neighbors can see the thought I put into making sure it was not a RED BARN with a GREEN ROOF that screamed at them as they drove by...

Sunday, July 25, 2010

What do you do to challenge your mind.

I do several things... but now that my first barn is getting more and more settled, I am starting to work on three more things.

1. Perfecting the fields/ pastures for the horses
2. Perfecting the areas around the horses for easy up keep and food production
3. Planning and perfecting the plans for our living area.

here are just a few of the sources I continue to go back to.

Saturday, July 24, 2010

A day of delight!
















My husband and I RARELY ever spend money on frivoulous things... without warning he purchased me a message and facial for my birthday.  I was floored when I found it ( the certificate) on the fireplace mantel. 

I am taking the afternoon off and going to be pampered for hours!  I could not believe he did this, when I asked him what provoked the sintement he quickly replied with out thought... because you have been working your @$$ off.  While I feel like I do this quite often, I believe as the barn is coming to a close he is noticing my management, financial, and physical skills all come together with the project.  I am so honored to have this mini vacation in between two vacations... quite frankly I need it...

While the infection in my sinus and lungs is no longer a threat, the reaction is.  Meanning all my body fluids are now more clear and runny instead of thick and green... not that anyone cares but I hate to go away again only to get MORE sick instead of enjoying myself.

Friday, July 23, 2010

Flowers and more flowers

While water was king of the land, my second astonishment was all the flowers in bloom, (which of course more likely than not is also what caused all my serious issues)

My pictures of water do nothing to compare to the real thing... and there is no staging, touching or affecting nature (especially delicate flowers) while you are visiting the park so you will have to excuse some of the bad pictures but... the beauty was astounding while there.



At any rate ... I was AMAZED at all the flowers... even flowers above the tree line at over 10,000 feet.
I could go on and on about flowers I have SEVERAL more and several pastures that are more inspiring than any impressionist painting. 

I shall only post more if someone ask for it...I can tell I got a little carried away.

Thursday, July 22, 2010

Moving on.. to the Next thing.

Water has been our focus thus far but only sweet ponds, except for the very last one yesterday... Some of these things were so HOT they would boil your fat, then meat off your bones within seconds.
These are MELTING ROCK>>> just think how hot that is!
The ever so faithful.. OLD FAITHFUL? in only mid stream... I lost all my good shots from this day...
Even the LAKE was restless on days we passed it.   Looks like basic atlantic/?/ eastern waves to me...
Rivers were white rapids at one point and wade pools at the next bend.  Almost like playing with a snake.

We saw two kids without immediate adult supervision just up the water from this area. ???

I don't think they knew what was around the bend.