Scrumblies and Glidgets

Gerta, my house, has dandruff.

That's the only conclusion I can come to after wiping down the kitchen countertops and finding the usual assortment of crumblies, microscopic dustballs, idgies, and yes- 'floating' Pepper dog hairs. (I think Pepper is in cahoots with Gerta.)

As I washed off the uck-ies once again (as in every time I wash dishes), I sighed to myself as I hit all the high spots and didn't look too closely in the corners. I have slid down the cleaning ladder when it comes to my old days of personal sparkling and pristine. 

But I have to say..... I simply don't remember past homes being this much of a pain in the behind. Hence back to my new theory of Gerta having some type of household dandruff.  When I think of it this way, all the dust, fuzzies, fine woodburner ash, and countertop yuckies start to make sense. It just keeps drifting down and floating around. And around, and around.

While in some ways thinking of living in a dandruff environment is a bit hideous, it's also a bit comforting that it's out of my control.

I think Gerta is wearing me down.

Gerta's 10 Ranch House Rules...

1. Don't dust until the dark wood end table looks grey on top.  This will take about 2 days.

2. Sweep only when you feel lots of crunchies under your feet.  This will also take about 2 days.

3. Limit steam-cleaning carpets to 3-4 times a year.  Even after cleaning, they will look pretty much the same after a week.

4. Expect the dogs to get loose and run though the fields, then merrily come back into the house and trample the carpets with black mud from the creek about 2 days after steam cleaning the carpets.

5. Two tips for #4: 1.Wait until the mud dries, then sweep up.  2. Do not panic when all the dog footprints still faintly remain; they will blend in with the general condition of the carpet in a week.

6. With no air conditioning, leave the still-broken back sliding door open for air.

7.  Keep a screen-less kitchen window on the opposite of the house also open; this way the flies that come into the house have a way to fly through and not get stuck inside.

8. Note: when sweeping, be sure to dust off all windowsills and counters of the dead flies; some of those critters are not so smart, and with 50 degree temperature swings each day and night, they often croak.

9. Juggle the front windows open for cool air, and closed because of all the dust from the road out front.

10. When the dogs come in from a run and proudly place a dead gopher on the carpet in the living room, do not scream.  Tell them 'good dog' and quickly place in the garbage.  This happens often.

Bwah-hah-haaa... Gerta Gets a Taste of Country Cottage, After All

Gerta and I are coming to an understanding- she can keep her tom-boyish ways, and I can spiff things up, within reason. 

Dan and I decided to update our bathroom, since it's a room we both visit several times a day.  :) 

Here's a photo of what it looked like:

It was typical 1970's decor- dark, dark wood and trim, beige floral wallpaper, off-white linoleum floor covering that never looked clean no matter how much you cleaned it, etc. 

At this point, we had already installed a larger medicine cabinet and the shelf unit over the toilet (seems we must have 'bathroom stuff' issues, and didn't have enough room to store all the stuff).

Thanks to all of Dan's talents with paint, wallpapering, installing flooring, new trim and accessories, etc., this is our 'new' bathroom:

Yay!  Bright, white, clean, and cottage-y.  Beadboard on the walls and the new cabinet doors Dan made. And I love the new floor... the new stick-em' tiles of today are awesome!  'We' even used them to cover the shelves. 

Alas, my only contribution was choosing the wallpaper that was uber-cheap on sale.  (Price was great, but Dan said it was a bitch to work with.)  Oh, and giving Dan lots of moral support.

Gerta seems to approve of the new look- so far, no home disasters or dramas.  Just goes to show you that even old-timers can like a new change.....

Compare THIS to Life in the Suburbs...

Consider this my weekly whine.... (actually, I don't whine that much, but I'm due)

Wake up this morning to coyotes yipping in the distance.  (In the east, it's ki-yo-tees; out west, it's ki-yotes.  Still getting used to that.)

Get my shower ready and hear a steady 'clunk-clunk' on the back deck.  Look out the window and see Chilli and Pepper chewing on an entire leg bone of some critter.

Get dressed, then freak out when Chilli comes in the living room with a gooey hoof- seems that the leg bone belonged to a deer.  Throw the hoof away in disgust.

Go on a killing spree and knock off about 14 flies buzzing around the house (apparently this happens every year about this time).

Attend the morning work meeting; seems the guys are going to 'blow out' the water lines for irrigation.  I'm not needed, so I go back home.

Feeling unmotivated, look around the house and ponder things to do.  Stare at the end table that is covered in dust, which I dusted 1 1/2 days ago.  I know I mentioned before that dust was not my enemy, but it sure isn't my friend, either....

Decide to do the many mundane things I so love to do, like laundry, sweeping (even though I swept last night before the dogs came prancing in with hundreds of burs stuck to them and everything they then touched), cleaning the kitchen, blah, blah...

Look out the kitchen window and see my 2 dogs prancing across the front yard, each holding an end of a nasty, smelly deer hide (that apparently was in the same vicinity as the earlier deer leg).

Freak out again and run after them to get the disease-ridden thing away from them and put it in a trash bag.

Then drive up to the work barn to put the trash and the putrid deer skin indoors in the garbage where other wild animals can't reach it.  (Sighted 2 wolves on our side of the basin on Monday, and the neighbor on the other side of the valley shoo'ed away a grizzly and 2 cubs trying to get into his garage).  Idly consider the fact that whatever eats a deer would probably see both of my dogs as appetizers.

Get back home and look at the clock- it's only 10:30.

Sigh.....

A Case of Mistaken Dog-dentity??

I'd been looking online at photos of available dogs for several months, wanting to find a doggie companion for our dog Pepper.  After Dan's accident, he finally acquiesced (meaning: gave in) to the idea of having 2 dogs.  Actually, I owe thanks to the ranch manager Rowdy who agreed with his wife to get a new puppy in addition to their 3 dogs.  That tipped Dan over the scales, and the search was actively on.

I came across this photo of a dog in a shelter in Idaho:

I called the shelter quickly.  The dog was identified by a number- 4658.  There was a bit of confusion when talking to people at the shelter; the had been 2 dogs- one was gray and white and had been taken, and the other was gray, white and brown and was available.  It sounded like the 2 had similar looks.

I was told the available dog was a miniature schnauzer mix, had been picked as a stray, was about 30 pounds, and was very sweet.  She sounded perfect, and since I'd been looking for months, I told them I wanted her. She was about a year old, spayed, and sounded like a great match for Pepper.  I arranged to pay her fee on the phone, and told them I'd work out a way to get her to us.

A friend of the ranch manager's son lived in Idaho, and we arranged for him to pick up the dog (which we named Chilli) and bring her to us.  In the meantime, a woman who fosters dogs for the shelter volunteered to keep Chilli in her home, since the shelter environment is very stressful.  This angel/woman's name was Sandi, and she gave Chilli a good home visit until the dog could be picked up.  Sandi told me Chilli was very sweet and loving, and we were excited about our new addition.

A week and a half later, Chilli arrived on our doorstep.  She and Pepper hit it off immediately.  Although skittish at first, she quickly adapted to her new forever home and we all settled in comfortably.  Here's a photo of our little girl:

The question I still have is... is this the same dog?  To be honest, I don't know.  One minute I think it's a match, and the next I don't.  The photo at the top shows a lot more white around the muzzle, but maybe that's the lighting.  The Chilli we have is about 15 pounds, and looks like a Yorkie-Dachshund mix.

Regardless, we're very happy with our Chilli, and still feel getting her was meant to be.  She and Pepper are now inseparable- they play together, eat together, go out on forays together, and sleep together.  It's been mostly great fun adding her to our family.

Here's a few more photos:

Another closeup- "mom" has trimmed some of her hair, but only on one side

Naptime after a hard day playing

Life is good with a bone and a toy

A tight fit in a comfy bed

But I want to share EVERYTHING......

Montana Misc. in July

Summer is swiftly passing us by, and we have to celebrate many things:

Family who came to visit:

A double rainbow we enjoyed

Ranch horses courtesy of niece Megan

Eek! Bear claws on a tree.....

Nephews Eric and Ryan with Pepper, and the giant get-well Bear I got Dan

A great visit with my mom and dad late May, Jennifer and Megan in June, and the Godziellas in July (angel helpers when Dan was hurt), the guardian angels who looked over Dan and kept him alive, generous managers and ranch owners who stood by Dan during his recuperation, a first grand-daughter coming soon from our daughter Erika, a new home and future wedding plans from our daughter Rachel, a beautiful place to live and work, the blessing of a pain shot for me in by lower left back (hallelujah!), a new companion dog and playmate for Pepper we named Chilli.....

In spite of the trials, our blessings are many.  Yee haw kippee kiy yiy yay!  (that's Montana talk for "it's all good....")

Montana Blooms

With snow each day on Memorial Day weekend, we went straight to Summer and skipped Spring.  That resulted in a bit of flower confusion- iris blooming on the same par with roses, lilac blooms in July, and general posy mayhem.

Once things get going, Montana makes up for lost time with flowers everywhere- even the weeds go crazy!  Below are a sampling of pretty petals that have been on the ranch in the last few weeks.  Dan has been responsible for many of them along with his crew (he did the planning, buying and some of the planting until his accident).  Enjoy!

 

Let's not forget the dandelions!  Pepper shows them off in her new

 summer cut.

Dust is NOT the Enemy

Today I power-cleaned my house- swept, washed floors, did laundry, dusted, gave the dog a bath, and cleaned the kitchen and bathroom.  I got into the ‘evil’ spots; those little nooks and crannies that any homeowner knows about, but hidden to the casual visitor.

I did it because I finally had the time to get the work done, and for the peace of mind that, for a little while, I could rest confident in the fact that my house is clean.

Somehow, I was raised to think that dust was a thing to fight.  A dusty house was a dirty house.  It was a negative status symbol, a sign that a woman was not in control of her home or her life.

I accepted that, and fought the enemy diligently.

Until I moved to Montana.

Here I’ve learned the silly simple truth that dust is part of life.  It’s in the roads, in the fields, in the air on my dog, and yes, it’s in my house.

I promise you now, that if you visit my home, you will find dust.  I’ll Swiffer it when it makes the furniture turn grey instead of brown, but there will always be some around.

Along with the aspens, the mountains, and the blue, blue skies, dust has kinda become a friend.  It’s constant, it’s dependable, and it’s always there….

This is our Reality- May 14, 2011

People often ask if spring has come yet, since they are busy mowing their lawns.  I thought a few photos would be telling:

Here's the view out our front door:

Here's the view out the back of the house on the deck:

Most of the snow has gone, with patches and drifts hanging on.  Last Saturday, the first faint traces of green appeared here and there.  Since then, more green is being reflected in the fields and along the streams. 

If you're observant, you've noticed in the first photo that the animals are elk, not horses.  The elk are moving slowly and are about ready to give birth between and the end of the month. 

I'm really looking forward to seeing baby elk bouncing about!

On our back deck, we have quite a collection of bones that our dog Pepper has discovered while wandering in the fields around us.  Definitely not the type of things a dog would find in the suburbs:

In the front yard are more leg bones and part of a skull....  I think this place is a kind of dog heaven.

Down at the main Lodge, Dan has a few crocus blooming, and the tulips are trying to form buds.  Spring should be in full swing by the end of May.

Cheers!

Montana Critters - Creative and Crafty

I love the animals here.

Back east, it would be a mini-thrill of excitement to see the occasional deer or hawk.

In our area of Montana, one can see hundreds of deer, hawks- and that's a slow day.

There are elk, bison, mountain sheep, and antelope, either on the road or close to it.  Gold eagles, bald eagles and hawks frequently fly overheard.

Grizzly and black bear, mountain lions and mountain goats are several of the more elusive-but-present critters.  Mule deer and and whitetail deer reach large numbers in the valleys.  Fox, coyote and wolves wander wide territories in search of food.  And the domestic cattle, horses and sheep graze over huge  ranges.

Here's a collection of photos personally taken be either me, Dan, Don, or Rachel's fiancee Paul (a special thanks to Paul--- many of these beauties were taken by him):

Mom and baby deer eating our grass in the front yard late last summer:

a mountain sheep couple on the road as we drove past them:

a very rare mountain goat trekking across the Ranch:

not the actual grizzly, but giant grizzly tracks by our house (that's Dan's foot for comparison):

more mountain sheep by the roadside:

our dog Pepper (she's a Montana critter, too...)

Pepper and Paul building an igloo:

most Montana horses live outside all winter:

elk looking for winter food:

the nearest town, Gardiner, is a lot like the Alaskan town in the TV series "Northern Exposure":

five o'clock rush minute on the Gardiner bridge:

Braggin' Rights #2

Ok, in an earlier post I let loose on how wonderful our talented daughters are, and how I was so proud of them.

This time the kudos and hurrahs have to go to gentle husband Dan and his woodworking talent.

Dan has long dreamed of (and completed) various wood projects, and he's in his element now on the Ranch with many practical things to build (cabinet doors, wood storage shelves, etc. etc.)  He has the time to create and build, and he's putting his many woodworking tools gathered over the years to good use.

Kudos to him for arriving at a point in Life where there is more 'doing' and less 'dreaming'!  

Before Montana, Dan was traveling so much with work that he had little time to create.

From our past lifetimes, here's our solid cherry bed headboard that Dan built and we moved with to Montana:

Here's the deck he single-handedly built on our home in Ohio:

You get the feel.... good man, good building skills.  And now the time to let his creative juices flow!

While hiking around on the hills, fields, and mountains on the Ranch, Dan came across a derelict antique wood stove left behind many years ago. 

(This is actually a pretty common phenomenon in Montana- the hills are valleys are littered with carcases of old trucks, cars, tractors, farm implements, homesteads, and so on.  Since it's high, dry country, the remains don't fall apart easily.)  Dan salvaged the oven door and a couple of the hot plates on top and developed an idea.

The one bedroom guest house on the Ranch needed a new bed nightstand.  It's a log cabin with western decor, and Dan decided to create a wooden ranch stove look-alike as a nightstand.

He used reclaimed wood from the Ranch, did some building, carving, and construction (along with Don, Dan's co-worker), and this is the end result:

The coffee pot has now been converted to a lamp!  Here are more detailed photos:

What a neat, original idea!   I love that man....... :)