Welcome to my world. I am a Blogger, an Author, and a Photographer. I hope you enjoy my website. The photo was taken on Trail Ridge Road – the highest paved road in the United States. If you are ever in Colorado, it is worth the drive to see the most amazing views.
This message is about farmers. I am currently in Washington, while Dan is hunting in Colorado, so I thought this was a perfect opportunity to put in a good word about farmers and ranchers.
First, here is the difference between a farmer and a rancher…a farmer grows crops and may or may not have livestock, meaning most farmers raise cattle too, but a few do not. A rancher is someone who just has livestock and buys the feed from farmers to sustain the livestock. So, basically, farmers are the bread and butter of America and also grow surplus to send overseas to the world trade market.
Growing up a city girl I ventured as far as my local grocery store to pick up all the produce and meat I needed. I’d pick over the strawberries boxes to find the one I thought was the best without a thought to the farm workers straining their backs to pick them. When I was older and had grandkids it was an adventure to go berry picking for what ended up being about 30 minutes and I was done. And what about those balls of cotton 
we women use to remove makeup or nail polish. Yes, those are cotton fields.
Everything we consume, and some things we don’t come at the sweat and work of some of the hardest working people you will ever meet. I never truly understood this lifestyle until I married a farm boy, because my life was built on conveniences. Wow, my perception has changed. Dan grew up farming and was driving farm equipment almost as soon as he was out of diapers. Every morning he was up just before dawn, did farm chores, went to school, came home for more chores, ate dinner, then worked at the evening chores until he was sent to bed…tired and physically tapped. Then he got up and did it all again the next day. That is life as a farmer. When school was out for the summer that just meant they worked the fields and livestock all day. When we are in the UP (Upper Peninsula of Michigan) we spend time with people that he knows that still live this tough life. Why? Why would anyone choose such a hard way to make a living? The answer is simple – us. That’s right, for you and me. So when we go to the store we can choose a pound of hamburger for dinner, a dozen eggs for breakfast or baking, a loaf of bread for sandwiches, as well as great vegetables and fruits to satisfy our desires and not get our hands dirty doing it. We don’t have to wipe the sweat from our brow, push away a big heifer before she pushes you up against that barn door. There are silos to hold grain and silage to feed all cattle. Everything has a purpose and nothing is wasted. 
I know we are all hard workers in whatever field we chose. And if our children are being taught responsibility by their parents I sure they have household or yard chores they are responsible for, at least I hope. But all the years of my career, I let it go at the end of the day…sure I had kids and a house to manage, but farming is 24/7…no sleeping in on Saturday or Sunday. And a farmers’ life isn’t only gaged by who they have to work the farm or the equipment
they own or wish they owned to get the job done, they are also governed by the weather. Last year we witnessed flooding conditions in the UP that likely destroyed fields of potatoes, for instance. In some areas that get rain, farmers prefer to let Mother Nature supply the rain for growth, but when she’s dumping on them it can be too much.
Over the years of talking to Dan, and others about farming and ranching my appreciation has grown tenfold. I love watching a side rake that wind-rows the hay while the bailer follows behind making neat rounds. 
It’s all fascinating and important at the same time.
I just wanted to share this life with you so you too could smile when you pick up that head of lettuce, or steaks for the grill, or even compare apples to oranges.
I hope if you ever get a chance to meet a farmer or rancher that you will take time to thank him or her…heck, just go ahead and give them a hug while you’re at it. Let them know that you would starve without them and you are grateful for the hard work they do.
Thank you to all the farmers, ranchers, and hired workers that keep the people of this great country feed…you are the best.
Though I already did a blog on Arizona, it deserves another go around for more than one reason…the people we spent our time with, and because this was a different time, a different experience, a different view of the state…so here goes:
We rolled into Arizona and stayed at our friends RV camp – rightfully named “Flood Park” with all amenities. We loved being greeted by their friendly, smiling, and “happy to see you” faces. They are truly gems in our lives.
The bonus was my sister, Robi, and her husband, David, who came up from Vail, AZ for a visit. It’s a good four hours from where we were, so they stayed overnight in Prescott Valley, about 30 minutes away. They drove over to the park and picked us up the first day and took us to Jerome, AZ. When we got up the mountainside, it was like you could see forever. But what my eyes went to was this beautiful dragonfly bench
…wow…how I would love it in my yard…wait, I don’t have a yard, I have wheels…for now anyhow…lol. David lived in Arizona for years and knew we would love this town. The shops are filled with beautiful art in all mediums available to an artist. I truly loved the kaleidoscope store. I have never in my life seen anything like it. There wasn’t one that I wouldn’t love to add to my collection (I only have two, signed by the artists, but that’s a collection…right?) – anyhow, it was amazing. We did a wine tasting in between enjoying the variety of art. The streets are windy and narrow so I would recommend traveling by car and not an RV.
The next day they took us to Sedona, AZ. The first beauty was the Chapel of the Holy Cross. 
This city is so much larger than I imagined. It is not eclectic like Jerome, but still held a lot of variety for all art collectors. Truthfully, Jerome is more my style, but Sedona with its touch of class was fun, too. We only covered a small area of this city but were able to get a good idea of the artistic styles.
We had such a great time with Robi and David, and it was sad to see them go. But that isn’t where the fun stopped. Our hosts, Bob and Crystal, took us on an adventure to an old mining town, Creator, AZ. We stopped at the local watering hole, and I was saved from a huge wasp thanks to the barkeep, Bill, and his quick reactions. 
Then we went higher up the mountain to Crown King, AZ. Now, mind you neither of these towns was easy to get to…no paved roads. A lot was a switchback up the mountain but held vista views to capture your attention. 
Then it was lunch at a rustic restaurant/bar before heading back down the mountain.
It was a week of great visiting with family and friends, and fun adventures. On our way to Colorado, we stopped at the famous “Hole N’the Rock. It has a wonderful story and you can tour the entire 5,000 sq foot house built into a rock. 
Then we ventured through Moab and were amazed at the beauty surrounding the areas along the way. 
Including the rock called Mexican Hat found at the northern edge of the Navajo Nations borders in Utah.
I’ll fly out of Denver to Washington to be with family and friends for a few weeks while Dan does his hunt in the Colorado mountains. Our travels continue to intrigue, entertain, and at times it all blends together, but Dan and I love our time together investigating what this great country has to offer.
A big thank you to all who made our adventures fun and exciting…love you.
I always wanted to go to Paris, but it wasn’t quite what I had in mind when I landed in Paris, Texas…lol. Dan and I have friends that moved from Colorado back to Texas about a year or so ago. We spent three nights at a great RV campsite about a mile from their home. We were grateful when we received a business card from the RV camp office – 
yep, a fly swatter and wow was it needed. It almost became a competition between Dan and me on who could kill more. Oh well, must be the season.
I was surprised at how big Paris was, but more surprised at the heat and humidity…wow. We didn’t turn our AC unit on when we went off to visit for the day and our tin can was 99 degrees inside when we got home – lesson learned. It took a couple of hours to cool it down since it was still hot as “you know what” outside, with humidity to match.
The four of us, regardless of the heat, had a great time together. They raise chickens, many different breeds, so I had fun interacting with the friendly ones and trying hard to pet the baby chicks. It’s quite an operation and we left with a dozen of the freshest eggs you can have. I learned a lot about raising chickens and as much as I want them I’m thinking our traveling might put a hold on that adventure. They took us to Lake Hugo, in Oklahoma, a quick twenty minutes from there home. It has trailer camping, tent camping, and amazing cabins you can rent for a surprisingly low price. You can launch your boat and get some fishing in, or the guys can, while the land lovers such as myself enjoy a glass of wine on the balcony overlooking the lake. There were Hedge Apple trees. 
They are not eatable for people, but from what I’m told people cut them open, let them dry and carve faces in them…who knew!!
Another evening we went to see the Eiffel Tower – Paris, Texas style that is. 
And right next to the tower is an unforgettable military monument. It is humbling and fills you with gratitude for the service men and women that keep our freedom a reality for us.
We had a great time and now I can say I’ve been to Paris…hehehehe. Thank you, Ed and Micki, for sharing your time with us.
It’s been just over a month since I flew into Green Bay, where Dan picked me up and we headed for Upper Michigan…Cornell (30 minutes outside of Escanaba) to be exact. After our mini-trip to Ohio I wrote about in my last blog, we have stayed on our property. The property is on the Escanaba River, and pretty remote. We have no electricity, no water. We have a generator when we need to charge batteries, etc. We haul water in four 30-gallon jugs from town. And we have an outhouse – lovingly named “Da Loo” for our other needs. We have a mini-kitchen set up under the pavilion with our BQ and dishwashing station. 
The need for modern conveniences fades away when you sit by the river and listen to nature. When the sun is streaming through the trees, or an eagle flies overhead making his presence known with a call. Then there are the deer that visit us for cracked corn multiple times a day. They have become my babies…and thankfully our budget has included food to keep them fed and happy…life seems so simple.
We’ve spent time working on projects…never ending grounds keeping, such as this beautiful stack of firewood, and the ground wine refrigerator Dan made for us keeping our wine at a perfect 60 degrees. 
Spending time with family (Dan’s side), and friends, some from the UP, and even a visit from friends that traveled from Colorado. We traveled north and enjoyed dinner out with Dan’s sister and husband, and both she and I got food poisoning…my first experience with it and hopefully my last. We went to the State Fair in Escanaba one weekend, and the Steam and Gas Engine Show in Escanaba another weekend. Dan and I also took an overnight trip to Copper Harbor. Then there are the evening drives just before dark to watch the deer roam and graze.
Living off-grid like this isn’t a life I would choose year round…it gets cold in the winter, and the snow is unforgiving. It’s over 60 steps from the pavilion to the trailer, and another 40+ to the outhouse…so there is no lack of exercise here. Many mornings I could be found walking a mile down the road for a little exercise. But doing that in a couple feet of snow is not my idea of fun. In fact, the rain and thunderstorms are pretty intense, too, which can leave the property a bit muddy. The rain isn’t like the PNW rain. Here the raindrops are about the size of quarters…a slight exaggeration, not by much, mind you, but the sun shines most of the day drying out the ground once again. We had a storm come through one night that brought the river up by a foot, but we still have about six feet of the bank, so no flood concerns. 
However, it’s the privacy and quiet that sooth my soul and have become such a wonderful bonus. One benefit I will miss, especially, are the moments of having our morning coffee, or an evening glass of wine under the pavilion while enjoying the beautiful river view. 
Soon we’ll pull out and find our way along the trail of our adventure. Thank you to all our family and friends that took time out to visit, break bread, play cards, and drive to Rapid River just for ice cream. There has been a whole lot of laughing going on in the UP for over a month now. I’m excited to see where the road takes us but will miss the river property I have come to enjoy.