I finally finished the picture of the ranch cat 'Stretch' on the front porch rocker. This is an 11X14 oil on canvas, and it took a lot longer than I expected - both the stalling around between sessions and the actual time spent doing it.



We spent a few days earlier this week up at the ranch. Each visit is wonderful in a different way. We continue to try to figure out how to build a long time presence there for ourselves, without diminishing the experience of living there for Mona and Clark. Our ideas about adding a few rooms to the existing house have evolved into the concept of a casita. Pat and I don't want a grand place, and only anticipate being there for modest periods of time in the short term, and maybe seasonally later. Instead of owning a separate piece of land and working independently on things like gardens and fences, it just makes a lot more sense to join forces and work on the same place. The ability to swap dinners and maybe work together on canning or other projects also seem appealing. Pat thinks he would like to learn how to help Clark out with some of the ranch and hay chores, and I suppose I could too - although I am more the home and garden type.


Us in front of some of Clark's premium hay - his own stash for the ranch cows. LOTS of people calling now for hay - nice to see him getting rewarded for his investment in additional equipment and hard work.

In the meantime, it's fun to participate in things like the new roof and deck, and if that's all that ever happens that will be fine. We're still trying to figure out the log cabin layouts that might work, and see if there is a site on the ranch near the big house that would work. Also starting to figure out things like the required additional new well, and other expenses to get a handle on the total investment required.


Mona and Clark inspecting the new green roof.


Mommadog sure loves the ranch - except when there is thunder and lightning.


Mona's back yard garden patch.

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Last Thursday we picked up our dear friend Arlene at the Cheyenne airport, and took her up for a brief visit to the ranch. Then we brought her down to Fort Collins to show her around here and visit for a few more days. This morning, I drove her back up to Cheyenne for her flight back to Oakland via Denver.

It was hard to say goodbye.

While she was here, it was easy to fall into the old familiar mode of casual time together, but saying goodbye at the airport, I had that sense of near panic that you get when you realize that your time together with someone you deeply care about and appreciate is about to be cut short - that they will soon again be far away for probably a long time, and maybe you could have made better use of the time.


We visited the river that runs through Fort Collins, where Mdog had her first-ever swim in water too deep to stand up in.

We miss being close to Arlene - more than I even realized. She is the most generous person I know, both emotionally and materially, and has earned my most profound respect for the way she has molded her life after a number of challenges and hardships. Rather than be embittered by the difficulties she has faced and overcome, she has deepened her appreciation for all of life's opportunities and her fellow person, and kept herself open to whatever comes her way.

You are such a good example for me Arlene - thank you for your patience as I try to make use of all your good advice and helpful direction. I wish you were closer by, but at least we have cheap long distance calling!

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