January Happenings

Well --- when we talk to our family and friends back in Michigan we feel like we are missing out  - haven't had a winter like this since 1978--- but then again - Thank you Lord!!!  Their winter has been NASTY!!!  Schools have been closed January 23, 24 (then the weekend), 27, 28, 29 and now another storm tonight  and again Saturday.  We feel bad for you!  Our January was very COLD but no snow --- we could actually use some!!! - just for the moisture!!  As you can see from the photo below - we've had lots of wind.

 The birds had to hang on for dear life as they tried to eat the thistle seeds.  I suppose it didn't help that the bags were about empty.  It was kind of fun watching.  I did fill them up the next day.

We did a little more ice fishing but our results were rather sad.  We tried one day and almost lost the shanty. The wind was so fierce........there was water on the ice........and not one bite.  However, on the same day one of our neighbors went to a different lake about 5 miles away and he had a hard time carrying his two buckets full!!!   AUGH!!!  I felt so bad for him   NOT!!   :)  :)

Gary  has a lot of projects to keep him busy ---- a new bathroom cupboard for a neighbor, put some electrical outlets in a new garage, repair a couple of  "sun heaters" (thinking that's the right name), do the chores for another neighbor while he takes a trip to Kentucky.  However, they all got put on hold. 

We went to North Platte to get some supplies for these projects on Monday and just before noon he felt a bit of a stomach pain.  Didn't think too much about it --- but as the day progressed  - so did the pain.  By the time we got about an hour from Valentine (on our way home) it was getting down right miserable.  We bought some meds when we got to Valentine - Gas X - all he could do was burp and burp....but no relief.    We continued on for home......but decided about 10 miles from home that we might just as well turn around because things were not good.  He was admitted to the hospital and they inserted a tube through his nose down into his stomach - gave him some morphine (and this was NOT quick enough !!!) and then he was comfortable (somewhat - as much comfortable as you can be with that tube down your nose).  He came home today (Wednesday) and is back to normal.  Below is a photo of the lovely rose he received from our "Our Lakeview Church Family".

He's had this 2 times before so the Doc. and nurses are getting to know him.   We are VERY thankful that it didn't all happen down in North Platte where we know no one and they don't know Gary's history.    They tell us that the muscles in his intestines just quit working.  Then the gases build up in his stomach because they have no other place to go.  Getting the stomach empty and the morphine for the pain work together to relax those muscles and things begin to work again.  Doc says drink LOTS OF WATER!!!  that's the key to keeping things working.  So we have to get that in our heads and REMEMBER IT!  That might be the hard part.....

So while he was "resting" in the hospital - I did the neighbors chores.  Found the water for the cattle froze up - so called in another neighbor and he got that fixed up.....good to go again.  Chores were feed 2 colts, one cow, check water, feed the 4 dogs, chickens (one little banty rooster tried to run me off) and geese, and then go check on the pheasants -- nothing too intense. Kind of fun  :)

It's good to have Gary back home again....  We went to the PMO (Alcohol Treatment for teens) and JDC tonight.  Laying on his back in the hospital gave Gary time to put the finish to his lesson and he did a great job tonight.   The lesson tonight was from Exodus - when God gave Moses the 10 commandments.  We discussed how we can never keep them perfectly and that's why God sent his Son.  The verse was John 3:16.  Kids listen so good ---- we just pray that they take it all to heart and apply it and believe it.

Thanks for your support, prayers, and interest.
Gary and Barb

Release Time craft and a windy, windy day!

We had the older group at Release Time today and we decided to do a Valentines Day craft.  Thought it would be nice to decorate a little bit at the Community Center.  I hope we don't upset anyone with our hanging hearts.  The kids did a good job.  Had to help them boys a little bit....they just don't really get into crafts a whole bunch.    You probably can't read what the words say ...... JESUS LOVES ME, I LOVE JESUS, GOD IS LOVE, JESUS SAVES.  

Right below them is cupboard - kind of like a bar that goes out from the coffee pots.  So they really aren't where people walk through.   The big hearts are a group of three hearts put together......in case you want to make some yourself.   I thought they were kind of cool.

It was really, really windy today.  I have two bird feeder "bags" hanging out from our back deck.  The birds had a swinging day out there.  They usually fight each other off - but today they were too busy hanging on for dear life!!

These are the only kind of birds we have this winter (well, actually we have had some purple finch).  We used to have Chickadees (my personal favorite) but none so far......  We hope they come back.  I have a friend in Michigan who says they don't have any Chickadees either.  We thought they were killed by the hail storm --- but they should be back by now from other areas. 

Well, bed time here.  Gary will be helping Dwight with some cattle (bull) work tomorrow.  Sounds like a big day.  
Gary and Barb

Fishing at Dog Ear and other secret places

Fishing has been slow --- but what we have caught was BIG.  Dog Ear Lake is a long drive - 80 miles one way.  But we enjoy that little spot and the state license for us Seniors is only $12.  If we want to fish on the Rez it costs a whole lot more and we have found that the fish just aren't as big.   But we might just give it a try anyway.

We went to a "secret" private pond ---- we mustn't tell because the owner won't be happy with us.  So mums the word.   Don - our neighbor - took us.  He hadn't been fishing for a long time and really enjoyed pulling in the first and biggest Bass that was caught.  Total I believe was 7 bass, one sunfish, and about 8 or 9 perch.    Our last trip to Dog Ear earned me the biggest bluegill I have ever caught.....and then it was two!!!  I don't might the "wait" when it's slow - when what you do catch is good sized.  Now with this warmer weather (it's 45 today) and the wind (supposed to be 47 mph tomorrow).....the ice will suffer.  I guess it will be good yet for walking on but last year after a warm up there were several 4 wheelers that went through the ice ----- and we don't want to be one of them!!!

Below are some pictures of my big bluegills and the perch.

 I never think a picture does anything justice......  but hopefully you get an idea.  Good eating!!!

Well --- get outside and enjoy God's great creation. 
Gary and Barb

The big freeze of January 5

It's kind of like being without electricity.......when your water pipes freeze.  You can't wash dishes....flush the toilet....make coffee.....wash your hands......  It's better because you can see.......

Yes! our water pipes froze yesterday evening.  I went to make some coffee and all I got was a tiny stream of water.   "What's up with this".  Ah! the pipes are froze...... Oh great."  That was kind of how our conversation went.  It was late at night - dark out - COLD (10 below) and windy (wind chill was probably -25 or something).  So we just sat and watched a movie on tv and then went to bed.  By morning I had 10 cups of drop by drop water in the coffee pot.  Gary had thought enough to catch those drops.  

Now ------ this is WORSE than  being without electricity because you can't just call Cherry Todd and say Hey!!!!---     We have to do this one ourselves.   So Gary is out getting the heater under the trailer and we will soon bug Rob for some hot water and it will probably, hopefully begin to flow again.   Guess we will leave it run in the sinks for a while so we don't have a repeat.

On the bright side -- it is a cloudless sky so the sun will soon be shining.  But it is also only -7.9 degrees. The wind seems to have died down.

Life on the prairies is still good --- gotta be able to take the good with the bad.
:)  Keep smiling.    Gary and Barb

The New Year 2014 has arrived....

I was told once again to "update your blog Barb" ---- that came from Montana.  So I will see what is new our here.  For one thing --- today is F R I G I D ----    -7 degrees right now at 4:30 and we just looked at the predictions and it said  -18 tonight.......that's minus 18 and the wind is at about 22 mph.    So I don't need anything to figure the windchill out ----  just step outside without your bib overalls and you will get a real good idea how cold that is.

We did go to JDC this afternoon to visit with several kids.  Had some good talks.  And visited with some neat girls......one --- a VERY pretty young lady with long black hair and dimples ....wants to be a Caterpillar mechanic.  Gary said  - "but you get grease and dirt under your fingernails"..... "so what - I don't care".  She has the Tech School all picked out.   We hope she attains her goal!!!!  Also visited with a girl who was on Meth for 4 months....she is very glad that she got "caught" and realizes that she needs help and WANTS the help too.  We've known her from times before and we hope and pray that she can stay clean.  We talked about what these drugs do to your health and mind........ she realizes all of that and is glad is where she is at.  Please pray for Taylor...and Terra and Shaunisty and ALL the kids at JDC. 

After getting home and realizing how cold it really was out there --- just getting out of the car and walking to the house was enough......  We realized that maybe it was stupid to be out there - what if we had car trouble.   A person wouldn't last long in this cold. 

We went fishing two days in a row.  Friday and Saturday.  On Friday we ended up skunked!  We didn't realize that they had shut off the entry spot we always used last year.   So we  were on the other end of the lake and it was a L O N G walk to where we would have wanted to be.   So on Saturday we took our 4 wheeler and our shanty and got to our good old spot (or there abouts).   We only caught 7 perch --- but they were the large size.....more than enough for a meal for the two of us!!!  I think the plan is to go again on Tues.  ---- it's supposed to warm up by then -   at least about 20 degrees and sunny hopefully.

Gary has 4 coyotes hanging --- so tomorrow we head to town to try to catch the fur buyer. 

Our Christmas trip to Michigan was good ---- good times with the family.  Our daughter Holly and family had the flu - so we stayed clear of them until it was all past.  Mike and family had it earlier......little Halle said "I don't like to throw up --- it comes out my nose".  Right!!!   I don't like to throw up either....   So far we haven't gotten any bad bugs.     But all in all --- we had a good Christmas Day.   We celebrated with our family at my mom and dads place.  A place of many memories.  My sister Linda and half of her family joined us and our Son-in-law - Tim - his parents from South Carolina came too.  So we had a good sized group. I took my guitar along back and we sang some Christmas Carols and a few others - like - Bill Grogan's Goat - an old favorite.  Our Kids remembered it from camp fires  and our Grandkids caught on real fast.

Release Time will start up again this coming Thursday. It will be fun to see the little ones again - 1st - 4th graders.  I'm sure they had a fun Christmas Vacation. 

Hoping this New Year will be blessed for you.  Look to God and keep your focus on Him - He has it all under control.  That is something I tell myself often!!!
Gary and Barb

Busy with lots of different things....

The week of December 9-13 I watched (can't call it babysitting) 2 cute little girls ---  Lilly and Ivy Jackson.  I really wondered how it would go because entertaining little ones hasn't been in my "job description" for a LONG time.   I asked God for a little help in this effort  --- and the week was great.  We had a lot of fun ....and Gary even got into it.  We played lots of "hide and seek".  You wouldn't believe how many really good hiding spots you can come up with in a trailer!!!  We also decorated Christmas Ornaments and cookies and watched movies and played with play-doh and played catch with a ball...... 

This past Tuesday Gary and I went to Pierre -- to the capital building to view the Christmas Trees.  The "theme" was something like "Christmas in the Great Outdoors".   What a theme!!!! I loved all the trees!!  There were trees with everything you can think of that would have to do with the Outdoors.  I did get a few photos.......

 

 This is the first one we saw ----- WOW I knew we were in for a treat!!

To me this looked like a big bunch of tumbleweeds.......??you think so.  What a CUTE idea.  Loved it!!

That is a lot - a LOT - of sheds.  It will take Gary and I a while before we can put together a tree like that!!! Some people really have a good imagination!!

I did NOT get a good picture of our Lakeview CRC tree.  But this is it.  Yes! it was about the smallest tree in the place.  But you don't get to pick you tree --- you are "given" a tree to decorate.  And we are proud of it.  It was a work of a lot of people doing different parts of it.  And I do believe we ALL had fun.

After I got home I realized that this was a good choice ---- Hark the Herald Angels Sing --- and that little angel hanging right beside it "singing".  Gary and I cut out those "cedar circles" and Sheri Tinant wrote the Christmas Carol or a Verse on all of them.  Everyone that is a member or comes regularly to Lakeview CRC has one hanging on the tree with their name on it.   We had some of the Release Time kids and the Detention Center kids painting the angels.....(should have a better picture of the angels on a different blog update I think.)

LaCosta had a hard time with "Let Heaven & Nature Sing" but she won out and got them cut out.  The red star was another "homemade" item.  And if you can pick them out on the tree picture --- there are little white birds --- put together by several ladies in the church.  The real little ones of our church put the glue and glitter on the pine cones.   So all in all --- it was a whole church affair.

Other groups from this area were represented by a tree also.  St. Francis Indian School, He Dog Elementary, the Tree of Life and others.   So it was a fun time checking out all the trees.

It's a wintery day here today (Thursday, Dec. 19).  It was foggy this morning so the trees are full of white frost and it is so pretty.    With the busyness of Christmas behind us ---- YES! we have accomplished it.....the presents are all purchased or ordered and sent on their way.  We hope to make it back to Michigan to spend Christmas with our family ---- but the weather is being watched.  We don't look forward to slippery roads on the Interstate where people drive like lunatics!!!  So if need be the packages will be opened without us.

We wish you all a VERY MERRY CHRISTMAS!!!  and a HAPPY NEW YEAR!!  May God bless each and everyone of you in 2014 and beyond.
Gary and Barb

Back just in time.......storm

We had a good time over Thanksgiving vacation in Michigan.  It seems like we always cram a whole bunch into a short time.  Our "feast group" was smaller ------ many missing because of the "other side".    But that's expected --- we know that's a good time for them too.

We are very glad that we made it back before this last snow storm.  We are still somewhat snowbound.  Gary got thru to the north - going through the field with the truck.  He saw the snowplow --- so we are headed to Valentine soon.  Our electricity stayed with us --- our home was warm and we had a project to keep us busy.  A new countertop in the kitchen.

It wasn't all fun and games --- but we finally got it done....took most of the daylight hours.  Looks good too.  I'm going to wait until all this "remodeling" is done  for a good clean up ----dust / saw dust EVERYWHERE!!!

We didn't get out Wednesday for our Teen Recovery Group -- nor for JDC.  Feel bad about that - but with the temps so low - and the wind and snow blowing  around --- we didn't want to get out in it and end up stuck.  No school today (Thursday) -- so no Release Time   :(  :( ---- It is a beautiful day --- not a cloud in the sky ---still only 12 degrees at noon.

Gary got a shot at a coyote this morning -- right out our front door.  He hit it -- saw it spinning round and round but it still ran away.  There were at  least 4 of them  ---- so I'm sure he will be on the lookout every morning now.  It kind of looked like they were out for a leisurely stroll - not in a hurry at all....until the gunshot!!!!!

I got some nice pictures this morning --- the sun shining in the frost covered trees.

Of course, it was better seeing it for real - rather than a photo.  I do love winter and it's beauty!!!  Everything is so white and pure looking.

Hope you have a wonderful day.  

Gary and Barb