Thankful Thursday: Urrrreeeeebbbbbaaaaa

Most of the month of June, I stayed at home in East Texas (while hubs worked eight hours away). We had church clean-up for the month, so I go to stay and help my mom and daughter. Good thing I did, because when we came home from our long road trip in the first of June, I found our old basset, my hero, and hubs' bestie, in sad sad shape.

Mellow was 17 years old, and had been our baby for a LONG time. His 'mellow' approach to life inspires me. This blog is named after my Mellow's attitude. He raised many a child, mine, foster kids, kids I babysat, and lastly the grands.
He was (almost) always very very mellow.
Dear Mellow Yellow, Mellywelly, Smellywelly, Mell, Mellownatar, Melly and on and on. 

Very camera shy Mellow, and Reba 12/10

Melly had quit eating, and drinking, and could barely move.
No AAARRRRRRRROOOOOOOOing.
None at all.  
I decided it was time to honor our (his and my) agreement.
He would go with dignity. (he couldn't even get up to pee)
My very sweet daughter took him in to the vet and held his paw while he passed. 
She sang "Mellow Yellow" to him, and brought his sweet lovingly wrapped body back to me, so that I could bury him in mom's yard.
I'm glad I was there, I'm glad everything went so smoothly.
I'm glad my hubs didn't have to make this choice, or see how bad our boy was.
I'm SO glad my sweet daughter did what I don't think I could have.

Rest In Peace, 
Run Free Our Dear Mellow Jo Santana. 

Your memory will live on.

Forever.

Reba 1/2012

This left his widow alone.  Reba, at seven, has never been alone.  Her whole life, she has always been right by Melly's side.  During the last month of his life, she lay by him, washing his head, and cried.  And cried and cried.  When my daughter took Mell to the vet, she stopped crying, and hasn't since. 
We didn't want to leave her alone, so we decided to try her on the 'road tripping' we are doing, with LadyBelle and LilDog.
Of course, she is not a FULL house dog, and a BAD traveller, but what the hey!

Reba, LadyBelle, LilDog 7/12

We drove eight hours here, and she barfed very little.
As you can see she caught on to the 'guest house' life fast. 

Camper hounds, Reba, LadyBelle, LilDog 7/12

Then we drove five hours to the 'camper' and she did even better.
Ms. Reba has never been to the camper before, but, here too, she caught on quick.
(Middle picture are basset eyes in the dark)

Sunset 7/12

The sunset at the lake our camper is at was AWESOME!!
And there was much romping on the part of the pooches.
Gonna have to try taking the girls to the actual water and see what they do.

In the actual camper, I saw this mess, what the hey?
Further inspection showed it to be a
SNAKE SKIN!!!!!!
EEEEEEEKKKKKKKK!!!!!
Hopefully hubs is right, that it's a rat snake, and it woke up, shed, realized there is no more mice in the camper (thanks to hubs poisoning:) and it moved on.  Oh, I hope it moved on...*shudder*

West Texas Critters 7/12

Then we drove five hours back to West Texas.
I actually remembered my camera on our weekly drive around the ranch.
These are regular sights, axis (orange) deer, white tail deer, jack rabbits.
Not pictured (yet) are antelope, porcupine, rattle snakes, skunk, fox, and more.
Then we made the drive eight hours back home.  East Texas. 

Grandboy Kale 7/12

We picked up this fella, granddarling Kale, and brought him, hubs, myself, son DJ, AND the three dogs back. 
Reba didn't barf once.  Go Reba!!

Brown nosier...LilDog 7/12

LilDog is always entertaining, and one loves to find scraps and bury them. 
This time in the sand.  Silly dog. 
Thanks to LilDog being SO house trained, she has set the potty schedule for first Lady and now Reba.  Thank you my little dog.

Reba, LadyBelle 7/12

Reba is looking shinier, and hasn't been such a food hog.
 I think we have figured out the carsickness issue.

Reba, LadyBelle, LilDog 7/12

Reba & LadyBelle 7/12

Gangster Reba 7/12

 She is actually playing some.  She has done real well with the house breaking, and is very tolerant of Kale. How thankful I am she was there for our Mellow. And the joy she brings hubby. What a wonderful dog family we have. I am thankful for the 'doggy' people hubs is working for. And, of course, I'm very thankful I got to go home for the weekend, see three of my kiddos, two of my kid-in-laws, and four of my awesome grandkiddos:).


Reba says: enjoy the moment.


Dear Reba has always lived 'in the moment'.

Thankful Thursday: June Joy: part two

After our great trip to Wisconsin, we decided to go an extra two hours out of the way to go to on over to Omaha, Nebraska, to the Mormon historical site, Winter Quarters.

What a wonderful experience.
So much tribute to the Mormon pioneers who were forced out of Ill.
Seeking religious freedom they headed west, and 'over wintered' here, at Winter Quarters.

(More Winter Quarters info)

Using guidance from neighboring Native Americans, was their only hope.
Later, some went on to Utah, but many stayed behind to help others. 
Always organized, they set up homes and supplies for their needs and  future travelers.
Thousands passed through here.

Exiled in the harsh winter, many buried their loved ones in this nearby cemertery.
Amazing any of them lived. 

Names of those buried here.

Grid up your loins, Fresh courage take, Our God will never, Us forsake

Next to the visitor's center (museum), is the cemetery, and a beautiful temple.

Love this...

The Church Of Jesus Christ Of Latter-Day Saints, Winter Quarters Temple, Omaha, Nebraska.

A major storm happened on our way there, the second wave coming while we were inside the museum.
But when we stepped out to go to the cemetery, it stopped.
Humid and overcast, everything was a lovely green.
We parked on the side of the road, googling for a restaurant, when suddenly what appeared???

Fuzzy deer pic from inside the car:)

Deer!!!
They crossed the cemetery, hopped the fence, and timidly passed by us.
Beautiful.

We over nighted in Omaha, then detoured a little more to go by the hubs' mom's home place.
Dexter, Kansas.
Hubs was so happy to share this with my mom.
LilDog and I were just along for the ride:).

Henry's Candy Co., Dexter, Kansas

First we were FORCED to go to the candy store hubs went to as a kid while visiting his grandma. 
I have been there before, AND meet Mr. Henry himself, before he died.
Mr. Henry created the Oh Henry bar, and they still make so much goodness on site.
I won't tell  how much we spent.
OR ATE on the way home.
MMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMM

The hubs and I at the Maple City cem.  6/12

Then to the cemetery.
We do LOVE a good graveyard.

Row of family members.

Other direction.
The plants are peonies.
We had missed their blooms.
In Wisconsin they were still in bloom.
We don't have those in Texas. :(
If I lived up north, I would have peonies. 
Beautiful, beautiful peonies.)

Asparagus along the fence line, next to Maple City cem., near Dexter, Kansas

Hubs tells stories of going asparagus harvesting from the ditches near his grandma's house.
Every time we have been we have seen NO asparagus.
This time we saw it EVERY where.
Even next to the grave stones. 
And, of course, I didn't bring a shovel.  :(
But I.will.be.back.
And I will be packing (a shovel).
Got a cool spot for an asparagus bed at mom's.

Street signs near mother-in-law's home place (home site: most right bunch of trees)

This corner means you've gone too far.
Its looking back at the place.
Hubs mom, and granddad were both raised on this land.

Hubs and I on the 'front porch'

A corral is now where the house was.
The cows were NOT impressed.
Not at all.

Home place, Otto, Kansas

Hubs has so many memories of visiting his grandma here.

Signs headed there. 

Taking pictures of signs may be my new thing. 

Family church.  Hicks Chapel.  

 Of course went by the church.
Hubs parents, and grandparents were married here.
(We attended the grandma's funeral here in 1990.)

House in 'town'

Then grandma moved from 'the farm' to 'town'.
She lived here until she went to the nursing home, then heaven.
I met her here shortly after we were married.
Two years later she passed.
I'm so glad the hubs took me up to meet her.
Very glad.
Last time we were in town, the current occupants shared some of the rose bush that was growing in the hedge row:

Rose bush in the hedge row

When this grandma moved to town she brought her mother-in-law's rose bush from the farm.
(small red cluster bloomer)

Spent blooms

It once grew in front of the house, but being old and sickly, was cut down.
In 1988, while visiting, we asked for a cutting, but she said it was gone.

Did she know it was growing in the hedgerow bordering the property?
She didn't go outside and work in the yard then, and its on the other side of her line.
How did it get in the hedgerow? 
Hmmmmmmmmm....

Hubs feels like the next time we go back this house will be gone.
It is in real bad shape.
But the memories will still live on.


After a great trip to see my step-kids in WI, Winter Quarters NB, and hubs maternal family spots in KS, we headed home to TX.
Tired, full, and very pleased.
Thank you, God, for the history.
MY history.
My people-my stories.
This precious time on earth.
Help me honor it.
Help me honor you in my journey.
And, again, thank you. 

Thankful Thursday: June joy: part one

So much to be thankful this month, actually this whole year...
The year began with the hubs working 8 hrs west of home, I had decided to stay at mom's until
1.  DJ and Brittany were married in March (beautiful, beautiful wedding:)

Great people I got to enjoy in May!

2.  Taylor and Lindsey had granddarling #7 in May (beautiful, beautiful baby:)

THEN I was able to join the hubs at the work site, in our cute guest house (that HE remodeled with all the luxuries.)

Sweet guest house and 'new' pump house (on hill) that houses washer and dryer.

 After they tore down the old farm house, sweet hubs put a washer and dryer in the new pump house, just for me. 

Red-neck clothes line

 BUT the dryer wouldn't hook up, so I used chairs and PVC pipe to hang up our laundry. 

 We planned on being gone five days, so this was plenty of time to dry everything.

  {side note: the hubs got to put all this stuff up when he got back, and SOON after, a new dryer was found:)}

LadyBelle, after being BANNED from the bed, over seeing my packing:)

 Then it was time to pack, drive 8 hours to pick up mom, then drive 18 hours to Wisconsin.

Bride and Groom to be!

 For SS Aaron and Liz's wedding!!!
Day one was driving.
Day two was lunch with the couple, wedding rehearsal, and pizza dinner. 

Granny (mom) and her oldest GREATgrandchild, Audrey.

 Day three, precious grandgirl, Audrey stopped by and wowed us with her awesomeness.

FOUR generations!!!  Me, mom, Tiffany and Audrey 6/12

 Got my four generation pictures (why don't I do this with my grandboys????)
Girl power!!

Of course her mom, SD Tiffany and dad, Colyn came too.
Love these people. 

Colyn, Tiff, Audrey

 Not sure why I always seem to take pictures with TOO much sun.

 Behind our motel room was this stream and swan. 
 
 You can tell he is a pet, and used to people...

Every time he saw people, he FLUFFED up and showed his MANness. 

Audrey 5 1/2 yrs old 6/12

 

 Audrey is our oldest grandkiddo, and she is so much like her mama.
B.E.A.U.T.I.F.U.L.
We just spent our time drooling over her...(like good grandparents do:)

Me and the hubs!!!

 Then, we dolled up for the wedding!!!

THE flower girl...

 Ms. Audrey was the flower girl, loved her green dress...

Audrey and Granny

Colyn, Audrey, Tiff

Colyn, Audrey, Tiffany

The hubs, Groom, Bride, and Smiling Step-mom:)

The hubs, Aaron, Liz, Me, Mom 6/12

 Look short don't I?  I'm not, I'm just surrounded by GIANTS.

With mom...

With hubs...

Mr. and Mrs.

Proud papa (hubs with Aaron, hubs, Tiffany)

Princess...

Tiff and Colyn

Mrs. Swan and mom

 Day four, time to leave.
We had to take pictures of the beauty behind our motel.

 MRS. Swan...Mr. Swan liked to shoo her away, she was not aggressive,  unlike MR. Swan...

 Hubs, and I (and LilDog who had to come along because my dogsitter went on vacation:)
Evergreens like these don't do well in East Texas, so we just oooooo'ed and aaaaahhhhh'ed at the trees.  Also, there is a paved walk along the stream, winding through the trees, to a gazebo and back. 

 It was spring time there, so everything was green and in bloom. 

 The motel we stayed in, our room was the bottom left room, I think we had the best view, AND a back entrance.
Well done, Super 8, well done. 

Audrey burrito!

 We popped by Tiff's motel room to say goodbye AND  love on the grandgirl.
Mom had made quilts for all the grands and hand delivering this one to Audrey was perfect.

The hubs "Poppy" aka tickle monster

Mr and Mrs the 'day after'

 Then we drove by and hugged the new couple, they had partied til 3 am, so they were SO tired.
We then headed out of town, for home...
BIG thanks to Tiffany and Aaron for making us feel so special!!!
Congratulations to the new couple!!!!!

I am so thankful we have been able to do all this.
I am thankful for the great people to do it with.
Too see ALL my children, AND all my grandbabies within a month of each other is  huge.
Thank you God for these connections.
Help me honor them.
Bless my peeps.
They are awesome.

Happy Thankful Thursday:)