That's life

Life is slower now, but some days and weeks are hectic.  Last week we had to babysit the 18 month old for 2 days and then babysit he and his 4 year old sister for 2 afternoons.  And, this was after we drove to Temecula to watch our 8 year old grandson's baseball game last Saturday.  Then, Sunday I drove up to the ranch and unloaded 6 bags of pellets for the horses.

PHEW!

Grandpa and I are RESTING this weekend!  I'm working on 3 journals right now.  Two are altered books, with the pages intact and I've glue 3 pages together and am now putting gesso on them.  One journal I sewed in two signatures (groups of papers) and it has a horse theme.

I really want to get these 3 journals DONE so that I can move on to my next one!  HA!  I really enjoy adding fabric and fabric scraps to them.  I finished two a while ago that have both their front and back covers done in fall fabric and I LOVE THEM!  I'll have to take photos of them and then come back and post them because apparently I haven't done that yet.

I have now finished and completed 26 journals!  They are all different sizes.  My next one I want to take a cereal box and sew fabric onto the front and back covers!

The horses are fine.  They are getting their winter coats.  It seems this winter will be milder and drier than last year.  Last year we had a wet fall and winter and LOTS of wildflowers!  This winter...probably not.  The eastern Sierra has had snow already 3x, so that's a good sign, however.

Take care and give your horses a hug today!
~Cheryl Ann~

A tragic story to the fires in Northern California

It was with horror that I read the name of the young firefighter killed in the water truck accident while fighting the fires in Northern California.  He was a student in my 4th grade classroom many years ago at Mecca Elementary School, where I taught my first 8 years.

"Taco", as we all called him, was a decent, honest young man with a tremendous grin.  I remember him and his sister.  The whole family was awesome.  He went on to our local community college and then moved to Missouri, but contracted out for firefighting services.

He was one of the fatalities in the fire, among many.  His water truck, which was full, overturned on the Oakville Grade (a HORRIBLE twisty, turning road).  My husband wondered if maybe the water shifted and caused him to go down the ravine...Such a sad loss.

RIP, "Taco".  I will miss your bright smile.

The next morning, we had a BEAUTIFUL sunrise here in the desert.  I would like to think it was Garrett arriving in Heaven.

Here is the story from our local news:

http://www.kesq.com/news/firefighter-originally-from-mecca-dies-in-wine-country-fires/639920253