The start of our winter projects...

We've gotten a late start this winter on our winter projects. Our plan was to clean up and organize our "junk" pile (I call it the bone yard), then we want to build a small garage to house the bikes, quads, and other large things that need to be under cover, and as always we need to finish the insulating and dry wall the living room.

In the void of the old bone yard, we are going to start planting our orchard of nut and fruit trees, and a new pen for the goats :) a lot of work to get from here to there, but I know it'll be worth it... Now to sit back, have a drink, and settle in for a good book.

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My insanity on display
www.pioneeringaz.blogspot.com

Long time no blog...

Yep it has been awhile since my last post. The holidays are over, it is the New Year. We are looking at a few changes around the home front, trying to replace our poor broken down blazer, and looking at a more economic form of transportation... Just hope it can make it out to the ranch. The dealership we are dealing with has been very generous and has offered to let me test drive the car we are looking at out to the ranch, to see if it'll make it. The model we are looking at is a small suv that is advertised at 35 mpg. What concerns me is, it is front wheel drive and I am not entirely sure it will make it up the hills especially when it has been raining and snowing. When we do this change we will be getting rid of the two jeeps and the blazer, keeping only the full size jeep Cherokee and the new little car, it will be more challenging getting the supplies we need out to the ranch, but I feel the savings in the fuel alone will help us immensely.

So question to anyone who reads this, front wheel drive will it work for life in the sticks? The vehicle is only 2200 lbs. and has a 200hp I4 so the sand shouldn't be a problem, just concerned with the hills.
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My insanity on display
www.pioneeringaz.blogspot.com

Enjoying the Jan thaw

In a post Christmas pre-New Year January thaw state of mind... Enjoying a nice drink and a good book. We picked up feed for the animals, another half cord of firewood (not sure if we'll need any this week... Enjoying 75 degrees this afternoon) and stopped by for some great BBQ Pork at a local dinner (Porky's Pit BBQ in Kingman) So glad for the down time, we have been running like crazy since before Thanksgiving, and will be after the new year. We do have a few projects that I would like to get working on.

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My insanity on display
www.pioneeringaz.blogspot.com

Christmas in the sticks

Had a great Christmas morning, a huge lunch, then took the brother-n-law's new shotgun out skeet shooting. Nothing says happy Birthday Lord Jesus like shotguns!



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My insanity on display
www.pioneeringaz.blogspot.com

Merry Christmas...

It has been a while since I've posted. After vacation we all came down with the flu, and have been trying to survive that and prepare for Christmas. It has been cold here last week, the nights in the low twenties, the days hovering around forty. So while sick, I haven't had much sleep, staying awake all night, feeding the fire to keep the family warm, and going off to work during the day. Needless to say the extra day off will help. And as a side note, those on Facebook and Twitter already heard, on Christmas Eve fifteen minutes before the store closed, I tripped and fell backwards on a table of cactus... Insert laughter here... So Merry Christmas, now back to picking quills from my backside.

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My insanity on display
www.pioneeringaz.blogspot.com

Our Disneyland Vacation

Sorry for the lack of posting, but we took the week off to travel to So Cal and spend a few days at Disneyland. For those following on Facebook and Twitter, that comes to no surprise, but for those others, here are a few pics...

First day we had rain... and a lot of it...

The Grandparents little one and myself....

A rare picture of the wife... I don't normally post family pics...

Day Two saw plenty of sunshine! Always have to have the shades...

On day Three we met up with some extended family.

On day four (our bonus day!) 

Before the long drive home we stretched our legs with a walk around the park, hitting all of little ones favorite roller coasters... 

Only a few more days left of Vacation to recoup from our time at the Happiest Place on Earth. We walked more than I have in a long time, (that's saying a lot since I make my living on my feet) and we did see more people in these four days, than I've seen in six months in our sleepy little town. I do have to say, I miss the weather in So. California. Great place to visit, but I'm still glad I don't live there!

If your interested I'll open my album on Picaso if you want to see any more photos. Beware there are a total of 244!

Disneyland 2011

December Storm

On Thursday a winter storm blew into the area. We  still hadn't had time (or money) to purchase any fire wood, so we headed into town in the snow to make a few calls and see what was available. We found a great deal on a cord of cedar, and had it delivered on Saturday. Talk about just in time supply. Last night was the coldest night this year, at 22 degrees! We were nice and toasty...

A stroll down the walking trail, it had started snowing at noon on Friday, and didn't stop until Saturday afternoon.

Little one enjoying the snow.

My people are from Southern California, below 70 and we start to freeze to death, still trying to get use to this winter stuff.

We took  the Cherokee into town to get feed for the animals, fuel, and firewood.

We had tried to make it back from town on Friday night, but ended up blowing the radiator in our Jeep, so had to stay another night until I could get it fixed. Sadly we missed the fun part of watching it snow, but we still have plenty on the ground to play in! Well, back to work.