Happy Thanksgiving

Thanksgiving is the holiday of peace, the celebration of work and the simple life... a true folk-festival that speaks the poetry of the turn of the seasons, the beauty of seedtime and harvest, the ripe product of the year - and the deep, deep connection of all these things with God.  ~Ray Stannard Baker 

From my Family to Yours,  I wish you a Very Happy and Safe Thanksgiving filled with love.

Until Next Time,

Pam

Adventure = Stranded for 6 Hours

Our Sunday started out normal went down to Starbucks to get drinks and then Bill said what do you want to do next.  I suggested we go to Oscar's just outside of Zion National Park they have the best food and Josh and Anna kept talking about the "Murder Burger" (check out their menu).

It was also my suggestion that we take the back way to Zion via Kolob Reservoir Road up the mountain.  Part way up the mountain Anna and I were ready to turn around and take the Hwy to Zion.  It was very icy and Bill wanted to forge on.  Once we got up to the top it wasn't bad so we kept going. 

Taken with my iPhone

It was a beautiful drive through the bare Aspens and a lot of snow

All was good until we came around this corner.  It doesn't look as bad as the photos were the Aspens were.  Oh, but don't let this road fool you.   We slide to the right of the road and didn't realize we were in a ditch were the snow was 3 feet deep.  This was a 1:00pm.  The one thing we had in the truck a shovel. Josh and Bill took turns digging the truck out and it wouldn't budge.  For two hours they worked on trying to get the truck out.  All of a sudden we spotted a truck coming towards us but not on the road but in the meadow along the road.  Bill stopped them they had the same truck as us and we knew they could get stuck too so they said they would go and get help.  That was at about 3:00pm and we told Bill's friend whom we called that help was on it's way so don't bother finding someone to help us.

As we sat in the car waiting for help for another two hours it is now 5:00 pm we started talking on what we were going to do if these people bailed on us.  We could sleep in the car or there was a cabin within walking distance we could break in and at least have a place to sleep for the night.  Did I mention a storm was coming in.  (stupid Californians for going out in weather)  I was looking around with the binoculars and just over the hill about us I could see the top of a vehicle.  Bill then too the binoculars and could see someone walking around.  The guy starting walking towards us and Bill started to walk to him.  It just so happened he was stuck in the snow too but not as bad as us.  Bill grabbed the snow and they worked to get his truck out of the snow.   

The couple had called her father to help get them out of the snow.  So now help was on it's way.  Did I mention the other people never came back with anyone to help us.  By the time help got there the it was almost dark.  Everyone (the guys) worked hard shoveling the snow around us.  They hooked up the truck to the Bronco and he drug the truck but it wouldn't pop out of the ditch and then it would get stuck again.  This kept happening for a half hour.  We were so close to were their was no snow just dirt and also at the worst part of the ditch where it was very deep and went into the ravine.  He snapped us up and we flew out of the ditch and were free.  Josh said the back end of the truck had to be 5 feet in the air. 

I will admit it after sitting there for 6 hours and a rush of relief set over me and I started to cry.  On the way home I said to everyone we have something to be thankful for this Thanksgiving 5 strangers that went out of their way in 28 degree weather and snow to help us.  

We never made it to Oscar's but we will go there but this time we will take the Highway and save the scenic route for Summer.

Until Next Time,

Pam

Giveaway Winners and What we have been up to

First I would love to give a BIG Congratulations to Jenny and Lisa winners of the Beekman 1802 Heirloom Cookbook.   I just love The Beekman Boys and so happy I could share their wonderful cookbook with these two Gals!

I know I've been gone for a short while.  Here are my excuses.  I've been a little busy and a lot lazy.

I have finished up my quilt class and looking forward to making a quilt this winter.  I have been armchair Christmas shopping (I only have two more gifts to buy)

Having fun time with the family.  We have 3 mortars and 1 cannon.  It's a good thing we don't have neighbors for a couple miles Bill and Josh wanted to try out the cannon.

It works!

Friday we headed out to the desert to have some family fun.  We went through this small town in Utah Milford which I fell in love with.  

We found an old mine around the San Francisco Mountains

Not sure how far this mine went back

We found a lot of equipment that was left

Claim Stake

Old beam not sure what it was used for

We were almost to the Nevada boarder before we stopped for some family shooting

We did some clay shooting

We took the medium mortar out and shot soda cans filled with cement.

We had a great time and nice to know Olive is not gun shy.

We saw a lot of beauty like this Eagle.

Until Next Time,

Pam

Beauty Around Rancho Delux

We still have snow on the ground and more coming right around the corner.  Going outside late at night has been beautiful with the moon reflecting off the snow you don't even need a flashlight and the snow sparkles like diamonds.  The icicles look stunning shimmering in the sunlight.

The cold weather is bringing the deer down off the top of the mountain.  Just today we saw 11 deer on our property.  Here are some does and one small buck.

It's been a week since they last brought down sheep from the mountain.  However, they are still bringing down cattle.

My beautiful daughter Anna surprised me this week by making me a polar fleece blanket (which is sitting on my lap right now).  I am the Queen of throw blankets and have many faux fur blankets that I was very excited that Anna made me a Christmas blanket. 

Just a reminder there is still time to enter for the Beekman 1802 Heirloom Cookbook.

Sending our a special Thank You and prayers to all our Service Men and Women.

Until Next Time,

Pam

Snow, Soup and Giveaway

Yesterday it snowed the whole day.  We got a foot of snow over 2 days.  Olive is a snow dog she loves hucklebutting around the snow rubbing her nose in the deep snow banks.

There was enough snow that Josh was able to snowboard down our driveway.  Olive had a fun time trying to catch up to him.

Here is Anna and Olive.  I think Anna was having the most fun.

Bill took "The Beast" out and plowed the driveway.  

What warms you to the bone when you have been playing in the snow?  Soup!  I made the Beekman Boys Cheese Toast-Topped Onion Soup.  The flavors are incredible and what an easy soup to make.

2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil

2 tablespoons unsalted butter

2 1/2 pounds large yellow onions, halved, peeled, and thinly sliced (8 cups)

4 sprigs fresh thyme or 3/4 teaspoon dried

3/4 cup red wine

2 tablespoons sherry

6 cups chicken stock (page 17 of their cookbook) or reduced-sodium canned broth

1 teaspoon salt

Freshly ground black pepper

8 slices crusty country bread

1/4 pound blaak cheese (page 130 of their cookbook) or Gruyere cheese, thinly sliced

In a 5-quart Dutch oven heat the oil and butter over medium-low heat. Add the onions and thyme, cover and cook, stirring occasionally, until the onions are soft, about 20 minutes. Uncover and cook, stirring frequently, until golden brown, about 25 minutes.

Stir in the red wine and sherry, scraping up any browned bits from the bottom of the pan.  Add the stock, salt, and pepper to taste.  Bring to a boil, reduce to simmer, and cook for 30 minutes to concentrate the flavors.  Preheat the broiler.

Divide the soup among 8 soup bowls.  Cut each slice of bread in half and place on a baking sheet or broiler pan.  Top with cheese. Boil the toasts 4 to 6 inches from the heat for 2 minutes, or until the cheese has melted.  Place 2 slices in each bowl of soup.

I will be doing giveaways now and then of my Favorite Things (don't get too excited, I'm not Oprah there will be no cars given away)

Now for my first Giveaway.....The Beekman 1802 Heirloom Cookbook

This is a wonderfully thought out cookbook.  Great recipes, beautiful photos, and places to write notes.  This is a cookbook you would be proud to pass down from generation to generation.

How to Win this Cookbook

Leave me a message here telling me - What is your favorite soup?

You can get up to two more entries by sending a Facebook Message and Twitter message about this Giveaway.

Giveaway ends on November 18th and winner will be announced on November 19th.

You can get this cookbook at Amazon for $15.66

Until Next Time,

Pam

Winter Is Here, What Happen To Fall?

It's offical we now have enjoyed all 4 Seasons. I thought Spring was a short season.  I think Fall has Spring beat.  The leaves changed I went away for 4 days and all the leaves were gone and cold nights mostly under freezing have been here since.  Now the snow is here no complaints we had such a fun day the whole family playing in the snow.

Winter on the Mountain is Magical and Beautiful.

We are starting to see more deer.  Just today 3 were on the side of the road close to the driveway.  The wood stove has been going day and night.  The house is cozy and warm.

Until Next Time,

Pam

The Last Two Weeks

I had a very nice two week visit with my mom.  We drove around town and I showed her the sights.  We took a couple drives up to the mountains.  We did some shopping at Cal Ranch, shops downtown (I got a new snowman for my collection) and we had some wonderful meals at The Garden House and Depot Grill.

One of the highlights was on our way home.  I had to stop at the bottom of our drive to wait for a 1,000 plus head of sheep that were being brought down the mountain.  It was pretty spectacular to watch the farmers with their herding dogs bring them down safely to the sheep pin.  It took about 20 minutes before I could get up to the house. 

The next day after they brought the sheep down was the Heritage Parade and Festival  

Here we have a sheep wagon being pulled by a couple mules and the Wells Fargo Stage Coach

Here is another sheep wagon and farm machinery

The sheep wagons are used by the workers to watch over the sheep during the summer on the mountain. Here are about 1,000 head of sheep going down Main Street in the Parade

Besides Cowboy Music and Poetry, dutch oven cook-offs, exhibits they had the Tractor and Horse Pulls.   It was fun watching the different classes of tractors (by weight) pulling to win a trophy and title.  But the best was the Draft Horse Pull.  They had a winner at pulling 6,000 lbs.  

Lastly I will leave you with two of our Amazing Sunsets

Now it's time to make our my grocery list and do some cooking

Until Next Time,

Pam