Christmas Tree Success!

Taking two boys into the mountains to chop down a Christmas tree is a fun family tradition, right? We picked H-Bomb up from school at 1:00pm on Friday, ran a couple (from a list of never-ending) errands, and we were off. We drove up the mountain road from the town side, which is only plowed for a few miles up. We only passed one other truck, and they were headed down. We had forgotten to bring hot chocolate, but fortunately I remembered to grab the rest of the cookies! Sawed Off had fallen asleep on the way to town, so I stayed in the truck with him, crocheting a scarf, while H-Bomb and Number One took off into the forest.

The only tree they found was at least 20 feet tall, which is most definitely too big for the house, not to mention quite against the rules of Christmas Tree harvesting permits.

Number One decided he and H-Bomb would sled down the road. He suggested I call and order a pizza, which would be ready by the time we got back to town. Check. I was starving.

Incidentally, and this is pretty funny, I remember when I first moved here, driving up into the mountains in my little Festiva and encountering some kids on a sled. Their whole family was up there sledding, and I thought is was stupid and dangerous: sledding on the road??? we could have run over them! (not even close)

So now, my husband and my two young boys (because Sawed Off had just woken up at the critical sled-loading moment and did NOT want to be left behind) took off sledding down the mountain road. Despite what one might think, the sled did not go fast at all. There was absolutely no traffic, and we could have heard them coming for miles. So don't judge me. I followed behind, in the truck, inching forward so slowly that I was able to crochet AND keep moving. Indeed, sometimes Number One had to pull the sled, so I just parked and crocheted a few rows, then caught up again.

I had eaten more than my share of the cookies, and was still hungry. Thank goodness we had a pizza waiting for us down the mountain. When Number One and the boys had more than enough of the "sledding" and played in the snow for a while and threw some snowballs, we loaded up in the truck and went to the pizza place.

Over nice warm pizza, we decided that there was only one place to go for a Christmas tree. That is up the mountain road from our side, where we always go, but which is never plowed. We had seen some tire tracks on the road, and honestly we are usually the ones making the tracks.

It was getting to be late afternoon, so I was a little nervous about going too far on the road (especially knowing how slow our little sled travels) So we stopped when we saw some trees. We didn't find the tree for our house, but we did find a tree for the boys.

Now I have to tell you about this little tradition we have, that my dad started. When I was in college, he suggested that I take a little tree to school for my dorm room. I did, and it was so fun. My roommate said it put her little fake tree to shame. We even decorated our mini fridge to look like a fireplace and hung stockings on it. So much fun!

So anyway, when H-Bomb was little, we were in Michigan for Christmas, and Grandpa took him out to chop down his very own little tree, to put in his room (which is still decorated with the Super Sweet Semi-Truck wallpaper). We put lights on it, and a few ornaments, and H-Bomb was in heaven. Santa even left a present under his little tree! So special!

So every year, we let the boys choose a small tree and put it in their room. They love it. And sometimes Santa still remembers to leave a little present!


This year, H-Bomb hauled the tree over to the sled, and then the two boys pulled it to the truck together. Precious.


Hopefully in their selective memories, they will forget their crying about the sled not going "all the way" down the hill that occurred just after we loaded their tree on the truck. Number One said it wasn't a Christmas tree hunt until someone was crying about something.

We loaded everyone in the truck and headed up the mountain. The thing you need to realize about Number One is that he will just keep driving and driving if you don't say something like, "Ooh, there's one!" So we drove 8 miles up the mountain, to the turnoff to the lake, which is only 10 miles from town. In other words, we were just a few miles from the place we had started on the town side of the mountain. The tracks we were following kept going, but we didn't want to follow them all the way. Besides, Number One said we'd probably find the truck that made them, stuck up there.

The pickings were slim where we stopped, but everyone got out of the truck anyway so there was no turning back. I found a cute tree that was really too short, just over 6 feet tall. We figured it would look like a dwarf under our new 9 foot ceilings, but believe me, that tree was my backup plan!

Sawed Off was having a hard time walking through the snow. H-Bomb was getting frustrated because I had told the boys to stay together, but Sawed Off couldn't keep up. Number One was getting frustrated because he couldn't find a tree and it was getting late. This is the stuff of holiday memories!

I took a deep breath and this picture of the sun setting over the canyons below us.


I found a tree that I thought would work. We were putting it in the corner of our dining room, so I figured we could hide the hole in the back. It was about the right height, although Number One thought it was too tall. I said we could make it work. We all just wanted to go home for hot chocolate.

Number One chopped it down too quickly for me to take many pictures.

Let me tell you this: a 9-foot tall Christmas tree is a heavy mother.

And as we both were dragging this tree UP a damn hill to the truck, the screaming began in earnest. H-Bomb had snow in his boots, yet refused to walk to the truck OR sit down so I could dump out his boots. Sawed Off got stuck, or got snow in his mittens, or what I honestly don't remember. The decibels out in the middle of nowhere are exaggerated, so the deafening screams replaced the deafening sounds of silence. Number One and I wrangled the tree to the side of the road. I laid down in the snow, ears bleeding.

H-Bomb made it to the truck, still screaming. Number One carried Sawed Off through the snow to the truck. At least he wasn't screaming any more.

Somehow we managed to get that tree UP onto the truck bed. H-Bomb took off his boots, I gave him my heavy gloves to put on his feet, which of course he refused. I can't remember how I convinced him to stop screaming and crying. Oh my. I know this is the start of Seasonal Selective Memory (SSM), which will cause us to attempt the very same thing next year.

Let's just hope I remember the hot chocolate.

We got the tree into the house and up in the stand amazingly without incident. It is even fairly straight. Number One put the lights on, and we set up our new Christmas train! We should have gotten C batteries in bulk from Costco, because we are going to need them.

Happy Holidays!

Cowgirl Min, Fashion Model!

You may remember that this cowgirl was hired to model designer clothing for Adam Kimmel's 2010 Spring/Summer Collection. The photo shoot took place at our ranch, with photographer Jim Krantz. (you can see more of Jim's pictures of the shoot, but sadly not one of me, here)

Here is the first picture of myself that I have seen on the WWW, and likely the only actual picture of me that you may ever see on this blog:

photo © Jim Krantz for Adam Kimmel

The funny thing is, the only piece of Adam Kimmel clothing I am wearing in this picture is a sweater, which Sabina the wardrobe lady told me was "probably cashmere." I believe her, and I really don't want to know how much it would cost in a store. Plus, it wouldn't last one hour in a real cowboy workday. Anyway, the jeans, the chinks, the boots are mine; the hat is Jean-Claude's. And the red dirt is on our ranch. (If you go to Jim's website, you can see the spectacular ranch scenery BEHIND the white muslin sheet!)

So much fun! I will keep searching for pictures of myself (obsessively) and let you know if I find any more. In the meantime, you can check out the rest of Adam's collection, including a couple pictures of CG, here.

Cowgirl Fashion Photo Shoot: Adam Kimmel

Last week, I was photographed by our friend Larry, to try out for a modeling job at a fashion photo shoot that was coming to the ranch. I expected them to just pass me by and show up with two blonds, but they decided to hire me! I was very excited! I checked out the designer's website ahead of time, and found some great outfits. I couldn't wait to see what designer fashions I would get to wear!

On Monday, Larry brought part of the crew down to scout the locations. I met Adam Kimmel, the designer; Jim Krantz, the photographer, and his wife Susan; Lynn, the producer; and a couple other crew members. They told me they had changed my schedule to Wednesday instead of Tuesday. We had a very nice visit. I asked Adam if I should wear my glasses or contacts, and he said, "Whatever you feel most comfortable in. Whenever I wear glasses with a cowboy hat it looks silly." I said, "I guess I should start looking in the mirror."

On Tuesday, I went out to the photo shoot site to see how it was going and talked to the producer, Lynn, about what time I should be there, etc. I asked her if there would be a makeup person, and she said, "No, they just want you au naturale." It really is a good thing Jenny taught me how to do natural-looking makeup!

Lynn told me to bring my cowboy "hats." Well, my dad commandeered my black Stetson a number of years ago and stretched it out. Number One took my brown cowboy hat and shrunk it, and I wasn't sure I could stretch it by 5AM the following morning. I haven't been anywhere to get a new hat yet. So I panicked a bit. Then I remembered that our dear friend Jean-Claude left his hat at CG's house, to ensure that he'll come back someday. I went up and tried it on, and if fit perfectly! Problem solved. I gathered the rest of my gear, my chinks, my two pairs of boots, contacts & saline solution, etc.

On the morning of the shoot, I woke up at 3:30am. I tried to sleep again until 4, but wasn't very successful.

At 4:00AM, I kicked Number One out of bed to go turn on the generator. We made coffee, and I got ready for my very first modeling job! We were scheduled to meet around 5:15AM, down at the Marlboro Corral. When you're the first person at the shoot, you have to open the gate. The moon was still out, but my little point and shoot doesn't take very good night pictures.


It's called the Marlboro Corral because it was built by some guys from Marlboro. It's quite rickety, so it's not very useful, but it is picturesque. Incidentally, it's not in any of the pictures that I saw being taken. And I didn't take any pictures of it either.

Below you can see the first car coming down the road to the photo shoot site.


Number One brought over some horses for us to use.


After everyone arrived, it was getting to be daylight. There was coffee (thank goodness) and breakfast sandwiches, fruit, etc.

They decided that they didn't want to shoot me (the girl) on a horse. So I just had to wait some more, but it was fun.


The male "cowboy/model" took off on a horse named Pete so they could take photos of him riding on a ridge. He was having trouble with the horse, getting more and more agitated (during which time the photographer, Jim Krantz, got some awesome shots of the horse rearing). The producer asked me to take the "cowboy/model" a different horse. I put a bridle on Zack, hopped on and rode while leading another horse over and up to where Pete and the "cowboy/model" were having their tiff. (and I didn't have my camera with me)

The "cowboy/model" saddled the second horse, hopped on and attempted to take off. I stayed up on the ridge, but out of the camera shot, just in case he needed anything else. The horse, having not yet been ridden, did not take kindly to the "cowboy/model's" spurs. He really should have warmed up the horse a bit before trying to gallop towards a cliff edge, but he didn't.

The horses could feel his anxiety and his anger. This "cowboy/model" was nervous about being bucked off, saying things like "I'm too old to fall on these rocks" and he started to make comments about our horses, and he was just plain angry. He also cussed in my presence. Not that I've never heard it before, but still he should have been more professional. I was trying to settle the horses down, calm them down, and here he was just being a jerk to them and then getting pissed and wondering why they weren't responding to him.

He even made a comment about the care of the horses, even though HE was the last person to ride them the day before and didn't brush them down after. I was not impressed with this man at all, which is why he doesn't deserve to be named here and the term "cowboy" is in quotes along with "model" because in my opinion, this jerk is neither.

So after the second horse (surprise!) didn't respond to him after 30 seconds, he wanted Zack, the horse with my saddle on. The photographer and entire crew were down there waiting, and he wanted to switch saddles. AGAIN. So we did. Larry walked all the way up the ridge to see what was going on.

With Larry, I led the horses down the rocky slope and out of the camera shot. I told Larry that guy should have brought his own horses. I pet the horses and apologized to them for that guy's behavior, and led them to a bunch of delicious grass.

Then Lynn, the producer, came to get me and take me to wardrobe to get dressed. I put on a luxuriously soft black sweater with embroidered steer heads on the front of the shoulders, along with my own Levi's, chinks, and boots. I asked the wardrobe ladies, Sabine (I think) and Natasha what it was made of, and Sabine said, "I don't know, probably cashmere." It was very warm and comfortable. We drove back over to the other ridge where they were shooting.

They decided that they wanted to get some pictures of me walking down a ridge, leading a horse. I walked UP the road and back down the ridge at least 6 times. Let me just tell you, it's not that easy walking down a ridge in the desert and avoiding cactus, rocks, sagebrush while "keeping your head up and looking around." I'm not sure how many pictures Jim took, but there were some really great ones.

In the meantime, the crew was setting up this muslin screen for "LookBook" shots.


I did some modeling for the LookBook photos, similar to the guy above. Just sort of walking in front of the screen, moving around in front of the screen. It was pretty fun. First I modeled the black steer head sweater. They told me they were just going to have me model the one outfit.

But then, they decided to put me in another outfit! Woohoo, time for wardrobe change. I do have to say it's a little strange to change clothes in front of a bunch of other people, but whatever, it was still fun. I wore a blue striped shirt, another probably cashmere cardigan, and tried on some unbelievably soft suspender pants in a gray sweatpant (but much softer) material. The gray pants didn't fit well, so back into my Levi's, chinks and boots. And of course the hat.

During the second outfit, it was really windy, but this made some nice effects with my hair flying around. There are some excellent shots of this outfit as well. Unfortunately, I don't have any to show you right now. But Jim and Susan are going to send me some, or eventually some might make it into Adam's 2010 LookBook!

When the crew broke for lunch and headed back to town, I went home. They were coming back around 4:30pm for another session. Number One had to take the horses back to the location, and he said they had invited us to have dinner with them at the corral. I got H-Bomb and Sawed Off dressed (in pants, even!) and headed over there.


The boys had a great time exploring in the desert, and Jim took some awesome family photos. He said he's going to send us some prints.

They took more LookBook photos of different models, including CG, and then took photos of Adam Kimmel himself. (center, facing the camera)


We had a dinner catered by a local restaurant, and everyone commented how cute H-Bomb and Sawed Off were in their cowboy hats and boots. And they tormented Natasha with a huge flying beetle they caught.

As the sun was starting to set, they got four male "cowboy/models" on horses, and started up the smoke machines. There will be some amazing photos from this shoot. I got a couple decent shots with my little digital.


It was a fantastic day, out of the ordinary, and I would do it again in a heartbeat. I met some great people, and I wish them all the best. I'm so happy I was able to be a part of Adam Kimmel's LookBook 2010. The photos are on their way to Italy and/or Paris for a show in about a week, and I can't wait to see myself on his website!

On The Way To Town Today...

This is what we saw in our normally dry, desert canyon.
(don't miss the two videos!)

Winter Projects

The thing I like about winter around the ranch, is that Number One doesn't have to work so hard. Once all the cattle are in their various winter ranges where they belong, and once they finally decide they ought to stay in their various winter ranges, the work slows down and we're free to work on other projects. It also gives us more family time, and the boys and I love having their dad around more!

For me, I still have to take H-Bomb to school, but I do get some relief since Number One is able to keep Sawed Off home with him sometimes, or takes both boys to school and I get to stay home sometimes. So I get to catch up on projects too!

I thought it would be fun to show you what we're all working on. I always have a list of projects that I'm "working" on, but this winter I have actually made some progress!

Back in June, our dear friends in Wyoming had their first baby, a sweet little girl. I decided to make a quilt for her, among other things. Once I sat down to it, I got the quilt top finished:


I will show you a picture when the entire quilt is completed, which should be this week. If I buckle down. When it's done, it will be the same style as this quilt I made last spring, but more girly, of course! It's hard to see in the picture, but the floral squares have gorgeous sage green leaves, so the back and the yarn will be a matching sage green. It is going to be very sweet. I have to check and see if I really bought the batting and yarn already, since last time I was at the store they were OUT of crib batting. I hope I already have some, it would make things much more convenient.

I have also been working on a pet project, just for me. The thrift store in town receives TONS of blue jeans, and many of those are not fit for wearing, in the store owner's opinion. So she collects the castoffs in garbage bags, then gives them away for FREE. I have gotten several bags from her, and have also been saving all Number One's raggedy old jeans, with the plan to someday make a denim rag rug.

But in the meantime, I sorted the thrift store bags out in various shades of denim. (I also found several pairs for me and the boys to wear...on a ranch, it takes a lot of damage before jeans are considered "not fit for wearing.")

For this project, I chose the lightest jeans, and cut them into squares. I used pockets, seams, belt loops, etc. I found a sweet little floral fabric by Moda, and alternated it with the jean squares. I decided that even if the belt loops overlapped onto the floral, I would just leave them on and tack them down, to make it unique (and kind of quirky). After several sewing machine needles, I finally have the quilt top for this completed. (the picture below shows a few more rows that aren't attached, but trust me, it's all together now!)


Below is a detail of one of the functioning pockets, and an overlapping belt loop!


There are many pockets, from the backs and fronts of jeans, skirts, shorts, etc. The seams and detailing (rivets, stitching, etc) add so much interest. I am in love! I am going to back it with a cozy red flannel, and I cannot wait to snuggle up in this cute quilt! I think it will even be large enough for our double bed in town, if I choose to use it there.

I can't wait to work on more of these jean quilts, with different fabrics, but I think I will stay with the quirky pockets and belt loops style! I think this style would even be cute for a crib blanket, don't you?

I am also on an organizing mission this New Year. There are rumors of work on our addition, in which case we'll have to Move and Downsize to fit into the bunkhouse for an unknown length of time.

I got so tired of hunting down cords and chargers for this phone or that camera, sometimes having no idea where they were and no idea where else to look. I finally got this shoe organizer, and hung it on the back of the laundry room door. I can't remember where I saw this idea, probably Real Simple Magazine or somewhere, but it is a good one that stuck with me!


I sorted everything out, and labeled each pocket that has something in it. I do need to come up with a nicer and more permanent, more attractive, yet still flexible labeling system, but for now the paper-clipped sticky notes are doing just fine. And there are plenty more pockets to be filled! I'm very happy with this strategy. I just wish other things were so easily organized!


Do you have any ingenious organizing systems that are inexpensive, that have worked for you? Please share!

Also, I decided I will elaborate on the cool projects Number One is working on, in between fixing our water situation every day, and also Ranch Hand's projects in another upcoming post.

Stay Tuned!

Shameless Promotion!

I know you all have been looking for nice calendars. 2009 is right around the corner!

My very first calendars are ready to order!
Cowgirl Min's 2009 Calendar features redrock landscapes, beautiful photography and Southwest desert scenery.


Cowgirl Min's Pretty Desert Plants Calendar for 2009 showcases a collection of beautiful and artful nature photography, featuring flowering desert plants, including cacti, yucca and others.

Visit my Lulu Storefront to order your favorite, as well as check out some of my other photos available for purchase. The calendars are coil-bound, and are shipped out promptly.

Order yours today!

A Canyonful of Balloons

On Monday night, Wifey said some guy was going to park his RV out in the field where Marlboro usually sets up. She said some folks were going to travel down the canyon in a hot air balloon the next morning. I didn't know anything about it.

Tuesday morning, we woke up and I decided we all needed to go out in the field and watch. And wait. The balloon was supposed to float by around 7:30am, so we took some lawn chairs and coffee and dry granola for H-Bomb and Sawed Off out to the field. Then we waited. At around 7:40am, Wifey ran back to get some blankets and waffles.

I don't know how much longer we waited, until we saw this:


And we thought, man, he's flying kind of low. It was cool and all, but sort of anticlimactic, since he didn't crash land in the reservoir or anything.

Until we saw another balloon.

And another.

And they just kept coming.

There were about 8 balloons in all. I didn't get digital pictures of all of them because of course my camera battery died. I was also taking pictures with my 35mm (so you have something to look forward to). At some point I had to run back to the lawn chairs and get more film.


We watched the balloons for a very long time, much longer than I had intended since it was a school day for H-Bomb and no one was even dressed yet.



As we watched the balloons drift by, I also couldn't help but think of Stephanie and Christian Nielson. I don't think I have mentioned them on this blog before, but they have been constantly in my thoughts and in my heart since August, when they became survivors of a small plane crash in which the pilot died. Both Stephanie and Christian suffered severe burns, hers much worse than his, and both remain in critical condition in an Arizona burn unit. You may have heard about their accident, or about Stephanie's lovely blog, the NieNie Dialogues, both of which were covered nationally as well as by The New York Times and the Today Show.

The Nielsons have a family tradition of releasing balloons with hopes attached to them, to celebrate occasions in the lives of themselves and their four young children. Of course I thought of them. How could I not. And all my hopes for them were attached to these balloons that passed right over the ranch. Great Big Hopes, with Great Big Balloons.

If you would like to learn more about Stephanie and Christian's recovery, or contribute to their exponentially growing medical bills, you may read C Jane Enjoy It (written by Stephanie's loving sister, Courtney), where there are several ways to contribute. Fundraising efforts are also in full swing on the Nie Recovery website. Please at the very least keep good thoughts for them in your heart, they are very powerful things.


A couple of the balloons flew right over our heads, down the middle of the canyon. The horses and cows noticed the balloons too. They started running around the fields, confused.

The horses galloped over to us, "Are you guys SEEING this?"

And then they stood quietly and watched the balloons float away.

A balloon team (do you call them teams? a pilot and the crew?) drove in, testing the wind, watching their friends fly by. A couple of the balloons (including the first one) flew very low, over the reservoir. One guy touched down in the reservoir, in the water, and the balloon team suggested he had done a "Splash & Dash." But one of them said it may not have been on purpose. Then the possible splash & dasher touched down in the field, very close to a dead tree, and took off again. We don't know if he was playing around or having problems.

The balloon team decided to try to launch, right from the drive! It was exciting to watch them set up the basket, unpack the balloon, try to inflate it. And then they ultimately decided that it was too windy to launch. They were trying to gently deflate the balloon and set it back down on the tarp, but they asked for more weight. I ran over and tried to help them hold the basket down, control its location, while they were working on getting the balloon set down. It was really cool. A whole new world.

H-Bomb got to learn about what makes the fire (propane, like our heaters) and he and Sawed Off got to watch the whole thing up close.

Back in Michigan, we used to see occasional hot air balloons, but not like this. Not this close. Or this many. When my pictures are developed, I will post more from the set-up at the ranch headquarters entrance, and more of the balloons in flight.

At some point I ran back to the house to get the van, and we drove the van back when I decided we couldn't possibly stay any longer and still make it to school on time. We usually leave around 10:am, but because of all the balloon excitement and running around, I decided I needed a quick shower at 10:am. We still made it to school on time, with stories for H-Bomb to tell.