VERY VERY FRUSTRATED......

.....with this computer!!!!  I know some of you enjoy this blog....and I really do enjoy putting things on it.   But it IS nice to have pictures on it  - along with the story.   WELL --- I have this awesome new camera and it takes real nice pictures.   However,  for some reason my computer suddenly stopped accepting them....or whatever terms you want.   It DON'T work.    And I get anywhere from frustrated to down right MAD!!!!

So this past week we went out to help our neighbor Dan Tinant move his pairs.   He trucked them about 15 miles to the pasture he was leasing......and then he asked if Gary and I would move the pairs (cow and calf) once they got them paired back up.  He said --- "when we're done we'll take a tour of the country".   This was like WOW country!!!  2400 acres to this pasture and we drove (on our 4 wheelers) for miles and miles and didn't see any buildings --- just the wide open spaces.   There is a cemetery out there - up on a butte -- where the origin owners are buried and a grandson.  There are about 3 cedar trees in the cemetery fenced in area --- those are the only trees in the whole pasture that we were in.   As we were going over to view the cemetery -- Gary was in the lead and then me.   His wheel flipped over a BIG antler shed......6 point.   And Dan stopped --- he was behind me and pointed out the matching one just 8 feet away.  In all those acres --- we just happened to drive over this find.  It was a fun day!!!!

On Friday -- we helped another neighbor with their branding..... the VanderWeys.  We did our usual job --- nasal spray.......  Rick and Kitty have about 500 head -- so that's a lot of bending over to do each calf.   But you're right in the action and we truly enjoy it.  Our Pastor Mark and his wife Dawn and kids - Michaela and Evan came too.  Mark watched for a while and then Gary gave him  his job.  After we moved to the next pasture Mark said he was going to wrestle some calves.  He  did real good for a green horn!!!   And I gave Dawn my job -- the nasal spray.   First she was only going to do a few --- but she continued on til we were done.  They are really getting into this country life and seem to be enjoying it a lot.   I was left with nothing to do so was standing watching....... and decided I really needed to try to hold one of those calves........................   I let Sadie (VanderWey) and the guy she was helping get the calf to the ground and then I asked Sadie if I could hold the head end.   "Oh sure after I wrestle it you want to hold it down".  YUP..... I can see if you have a big calf it could really be a hard thing to do.  I did hold the calf down......so felt like ---- I was successful this time....better leave it at that and not have a big mess up.   Another busy day.....but no accidents ........so a fun day too!!!!

I've been taking photos of all our birds in the back yard.......sorry -- I can't show them.   Have a couple of awesome sunsets......can't show them.  Maybe one of these days this blankety blank blank computer will do it's job again...... until then just know that we are doing well.  Loving our quiet little spot on God's green earth and still enjoying all of our Ministry Opportunities.  Release Time will be finished next week.   We are giving out Bibles to all of the kids this year.  Decided that it's time for a more advanced version for our 4th graders.    Yamni is still reading his Beginner Story Bible that we gave him when he was in the 1st grade.   All of the groups are getting a Bible --- so it will be a nice end to the year for them.

Thank you for your interest.
Gary and Barb

An Adventure????

Well --- if it's not considered an adventure --- it certainly was something new for me.

I made the meals at Lakeview School today.  The Cook --- Janet Kady  -- needs one day off every other week.  Her husband has some medical needs and she would like to be able to go with him on that day --- on his trip to the hospital.    She called me the other day to ask if I would consider subing for her.  The gal who has been helping out isn't always available........so I said I would give it a try.

It meant that I had to go to Mission to the school Administration Building for a drug test and have my fingerprints taken.  Nothing real difficult....however, I did have to have proof that I graduated from High School.  I did NOT have anything like that in my possession.  One call to Zeeland High School and it was taken car of.  WOW they keep records for a good long time.... :)

I went to "observe" the other day........it had been raining and then it turned to snow.....and that meant the roads were MUD!!!  So - would you believe --- they sent the kids home early --- 10:00 ---- on the day I had come to watch how things went.   So that meant I would go again to "observe".

Janet promised me an easy day.     And today was a pretty easy day.   Breakfast couldn't have been any easier.......packaged cold cereal, a granola bar, a juice box and applesauce.  All I had to do was put it on the counter and get the milk out.      Lunch was a little more involved -- but proved to be pretty easy also.  It was creamed chicken on mashed potatoes, green beans, dinner roll and applesauce (again).   I NEVER make instant mashed potatoes --- but they turned out as good as those things can.

I think I did OK --- anyway all  the food disappeared and those who came for seconds were all satisfied........wiped the pans as clean as we could to get the last drops of food.   It's nice to see kids eating and wanting more.

Then it was clean up time and at 2:30 I delivered the bananas to the rooms for a snack and headed home.

I might be asked one more time this year and then school will be finished.   It was fun to see the Release Time kids and some who have stopped coming (for whatever reason)  in the school setting.   And it was fun to see the surprise on their faces when it was me behind the counter rather than Janet.

We've had a week of raining weather but today was a gorgeous spring day and they are promising that for the remainder of the week.  Tonight is the Alcohol Recovery Meeting in Mission,   tomorrow night will be at the Detention Center, Thursday we will have the 3rd and 4th graders for Release Time and then Friday is branding at the VanderWeys.   A busy week but looking forward to all of it.
Gary and Barb

In my opinion........

......this is the most loved bird on the prairies!!!   The Chickadee is another favorite......the Blue Jay is special to me because I remember hearing it's song whenever we went to  Beads Dam fishing......

but .....THE MEADOWLARK .......  their song is so special.  When driving past them in a vehicle.....walking along the wayside.......even sitting in the house.   God blessed them with a loud voice and what a special song it is.  This morning as I walked out to the garden --- this one was busy singing and singing. So I hurried to the house for my camera --- wishing it was hooked permanently to my body!!!! ......and went back out hoping he wasn't done singing yet.    He/she was still busy singing his praises to God.   I got a couple of shots and then tried from a different angle......finally he flew away.

Perhaps he was announcing the rain that was on it's way......it is lightly raining as I type.  Prediction is for a LOT more...so we shall see.

Oh yeah.....another happening this morning.......  I walked up to Grandpas house where Lee lives ----to bring him his mail.....   And I saw what looked like a baby calf in the alfalfa north of the house.  It could only be one of VanderWeys'     ...... so I called and told them about him.  Then I went for my walk down the driveway......  Lee (works for VanderWeys)  drove down to look for the calf........ when he came back past me with it in the back of his truck --- he told me the calf was "a newborn -  -  blind as a bat".   HHhhhhmmm  now I am wondering about that poor little thing......

Anyway ------enjoy the springtime......in whatever shape or form it comes.
Gary and Barb

Fun time with Holly, Clayton and Sawyer.....

Our daughter, Holly, and their two boys, Clayton and Sawyer came out for their "annual spring break visit".  They come via Amtrak - while daddy, Dennis, stayed home with the critters.  We think there are other people who could take care of the 5 steers!!!!!

The boys are both in Cadets and wanted to get their Hiking Badge.   So two hiking trips were planned.  Of course, they came on a WINDY week.  However......Monday was supposed to be nice and so an overnight campout and hike was planned. At 4:00 in the afternoon they started out at the "old Newenhuis" place (and I'm sure I spelled that one wrong.)   Gary had the co-ordinances on his GPS.......and so they would travel across country to the well that is straight north of Bud Pavelka.  Approximately 3 miles as the crow flies ---- but with all the "country" they found it was certainly more than that.  They jumped 2 coyotes, and 3 mule deer......

......found an old pickup  (that Uncle Dave would probably like)....also ...a question for Duke or Robbi or Dwight.   Could this possibly be out by the "old Beck place"??  That's the area they were hiking in......

...a pond out in the middle of no-where........and finally made it to the well where Holly and I met them with the rest of their camping gear.

And off they went to find their spot for the night.  The coyotes howled ....and it rained a little......and some of the breakfast got spilled on the ground......which meant Sawyer had to do the dishes......not a happy boy.....but maybe a lesson there.

Holly and I again met them -- picked up all their gear and they hiked the remaining 2 plus miles that they needed to complete the requirements for the hike.

This spot - for those of you who know this country...is 1/2 mile north of Wyonne Walkling.....which is also 1 mile approx. south of where I (Barb) went to school...up there by the  trees.

Then on Friday morning the boys went on their final hike with Grandpa.  This would be south of us in a pasture that my cousin Dwight owns.....  Another spot with some fun surprises.

 They  (actually Grandpa found it )......found a shed - an antler......

and some fun places to run and mess around in.   This was an "exploring hike" so the boys had to come back and make a map of where they had walked and what they had seen. They put on about 5 miles.......

While they were out doing all this hiking.....Holly was back at our home making curtains for their camper.  She had never sewn before so this was a fun learning time for her.   The curtains turned out great.  Somewhere on this @#$%^&  computer (excuse my language) there is a picture of her sewing.....but I can't find it and I can't get it off my camera again because it isn't "new".

We ended their vacation with a swim at the pool in McCook --- Chief Motel.  The train came in 1/2 hour late ---- 12:34 a.m.  But it DID come -- so they are now on their way back to Michigan --- and should arrive this evening at 10:30 p.m. ----- a LONG trip but one that works for a mom with 2 young boys.

A fun time was had by all !!!!!!!

Gary and Barb --- Gramma and Grampa

Release Time -- Easter Story

We had our group this week for Release Time.  We have been doing the story of King Saul and King David --- but it's Easter and what a wonderful story to tell.   Our group is the 3rd and 4th graders and we have had these kids since the 1st grade.  We have told the Easter Story each year -----so this was a story they knew well.  As Gary told the story - a hand would go up and they would have to say what they remembered --- or sometimes they went ahead in the story and Gary would say "yes !! that's coming".  It's a LONG story if you try to tell it all --- but it's all so important.......the kids did great ---- a little disruptive with all the hands going up but at least it was always about the story.

We also made a nice cross out of red cedar with the kids.  They started out with 6 pieces  - 3 long and 3 short.  They had to pick how they wanted their cross to look and then we glued them together.

The pictures show the crosses before we put a sealant on them.........that always brings out the bright color of the cedar.  We sprayed the crosses after we brought the kids back to school and then delivered them when they were dry (same day).  They will have them at home for Easter.

May your Easter be special as we all celebrate and remember what Jesus did for each one of us and that he lives and reigns forever.
Gary and Barb

AUGH!! Winter is back --- in full force.

Spring was short and summer even shorter (yes, we felt like we had a touch of them both already)..... Today, winter reared it's ugly cold head again.  We don't have a terrible lot of snow -- but the wind is fierce and schools are closed.  Stores and businesses in Valentine are closing.  One report on the radio was that at times he couldn't see the truck parked across the street from the radio station.   I am afraid that this is NOT good for the baby calves that are being born in this weather.  Hopefully, the ranchers can get them inside and out of the wet, cold, snowy weather.

Gary came into the house and said, "get your camera".   So I grabbed it and asked, "what you got"?
Well, there was a robin sitting in the cedar tree right by our garden spot.  I certainly figured it would be long gone by the time we got back out there.   But there she sat........

                                             
....looked to me like she was all puffed up trying hard to stay warm.  After I snapped a couple of pictures she ducked back into the inside of the tree.  Must have been checking so see if things were improving but decided they weren't.

When it's nice out we've had the red winged blackbirds...........

                                           

........ sitting in the tree tops singing their "song".  The only reason I like their "noise" is that they DO announce that spring is right around the corner.  So we are just thankful for the moisture that came in the form of this snow and we know that spring is still just right around the corner.

We had JDC this evening and had 2 groups ---- 10 in the first and 8 in the second.  There is a group that they call "BIA".....they are from other reservations.  The groups were all attentive and it was an enjoyable evening.  We went from 3 youth - to 18.  Tomorrow is a court date for some of them so a  few might be gone...but there are 4 in "booking".....so this number will be with us for a while. This is a wonderful time --- to talk about the great sacrifice Jesus gave by dying for us - taking our punishment and then rising again from the dead.   We will also be doing a service on Sunday (Easter) evening-----another chance to share this wonderful message.

May God bless you as we remember His Grace at this time.
Gary and Barb

A need to Praise and Thank God --- and to share it with you.

Sometimes we just flat out need some encouragement.  Tonight we got it.  That is why we need to Praise and Thank God.....and share it with you!

But we will start with last Wednesday evening.  We only had 6 or 7 boys so we made a circle of our chairs --- it seems a good way to communicate better than when they are spread out in the room, and usually it works very nicely.  But these young men (boys) seemed to have something on their minds.  And the circle didn't work very good --- for us.  They on the other hand could look at each other and do their "thing"......which caused me to ask Pastor Mark if we were witnessing some sort of "rumble".  They were nodding at each other and pointing and showing off their biceps.  They really didn't cause "trouble".....just had their own agenda....and we didn't appreciate it.    And so --- you (we) can get to questioning - what are we doing here --- are we doing any good?!?!

Then this evening - it is the second Sunday of the month and our evening for a time of worship at the Detention Center.  We found out that we would need to do two groups -- anyway it would be best that way.  There was a group of young men from North Dakota ---- they call them the B.I. A group (Bureau of Indian Affairs) - why they call them that - I don't know.....perhaps only because they are not from the Rosebud.   And boy, does it show -- every time!!

Tonight we did the  "Wordless Book" message....the complete gospel message in a wordless book --- only colored pages that represent "heaven" - gold page, "unclean hearts" - dark page, "Jesus blood" - red page, "clean hearts" - white page, and "G.R.O.W". - green page.  Well, have you ever seen someone paying real close attention to something...... their eyes are wide open and sometimes they nod their heads in agreement, they cock their head so they can see better.......  That's what we had tonight with the group from North Dakota and other Reservations (not the Rosebud).  Actually, even the 1st group was attentive --- but the second group topped it off.  These guys were willing to read the Bible passage --- not this "I can't read" stuff....and even sang the songs that they had never heard before.  We were blessed!!!

We came home feeling totally refreshed and eager to go back.  We needed that encouragement. Thank you Lord!   and  Thank you for your prayers and support.....and be sure to Thank God for His encouragement.
Gary and Barb