The School Bus

We went down to the lower yard yesterday afternoon and discovered a couple school buses down there. What are school buses doing on a ranch? Nope, it wasn't a school field trip. And no, we don't use them to transport people around. A local school district was excessing old stuff, and the ranch decided that there were enough good parts on the school buses to make it worth the while to bid and haul them back.

It took a little work to unload this big school bus. It still looks good on the outside, but its engine and seats aren't the way they used to be.

Nevertheless, walking down the aisle of the school bus brought back so many memories. Band trips with wonderful friends and our "deep" conversations, singing on our way to swim meets, and school field trips that opened up a whole new world to kids from a small town. I also remembered the spit ball fights, singing '99 bottles of beer on the wall' to pass the time, and the silly jokes we played. The back of the bus was the coolest place to sit because it meant you were the furthest away from the adult, the bus driver. Nowadays, whenever I get on a bus I usually like to sit up front because it's not as bumpy. I guess that's another sign of getting old.

Desert Boy was with me, and of course he had to "drive" the school bus. He scrambled up on to the seat without any help from me and started the trip.

But with his short attention span, it wasn't long until he was looking out the window. 

Last week Desert Boy started saying the word bus. He loves to repeat it over and over and over. B-u-s. B-u-s. B-u-s. B-u-s. He even gets out a good "s" sound. He's so proud he can say it, he calls most every big vehicle he sees a B-u-s. Before long, he won't only be saying bus, he'll also be getting on the bus to go to school. 

He might have to grow a little more, though, so he doesn't have to sit down to get off the bus!

Desert Boy Goes to the City

We've taken a trip to the city, and Desert Boy has had to do a little adapting. His normally outgoing attitude made for a fun scene in a department store.

Thanks, I think I'll have a seat next to you.

It's so nice to meet you. My, your hand is a bit stiff and chilly.

I think we can be friends. You don't mind if I hang around a bit, do you?

Photo Caption Contest-We Have a Winner

This is how Henry drinks. I wonder if it will work for me.

Our winner is Germaine S! Congrats! I will get you the packet of beautiful wildflower seeds this week.

It was a hoot reading the entries, thanks to everyone who entered. Below are a couple more pictures of Desert Boy slurping from puddles. I think he really was trying to be like Henry. Or maybe he's just a little strange. Just a little.

I don't think he could have gotten closer if he wanted to. I'm just glad it was a semi-warm day and he could dry out quickly.

One of Desert Boy's chores (yep, have to start them early!) is to feed Henry. Often he doesn't quite get the dog food to Henry's bowl. This isn't much of a surprise, because Desert Boy has a hidden agenda for enjoying his chore.

He 'helps' Henry by picking up the dog food to try to get it back into the container. And it just so happens that he slips a piece of dog food into his mouth in between photos.

"Ooh, did anyone catch me?"

Gates in the Desert

Some ranchers are really creative when it comes to gates. Here is the entryway to one nearby rancher's house. I like the patriotism and symmetry.

This is a gate into a corral. It's called the "visitor gate," I guess because it impresses the visitors. It sure impressed me! 

Here's another fun gate, painted blue.

Behind the gate is an old hay derrick, which in olden times before loaders, backhoes, and forklifts was used to stack hay. 

This gate was made by a master metal craftsman in our little town. Desert Boy had a lot of fun checking it out.

He took the gate as a challenge--can I get through?

He had some problems with his head. 

Then he figured that out and perhaps got into some bigger trouble!

Eating Unfried Green Tomatoes

Desert Boy loves to play in the garden. I always yell at him to get out, but he ignores me and heads straight towards the tomato plants. They have a profusion of green tomatoes.

Desert Boy can't quite help but pick a green tomato or two. Usually he carries them around in his grubby little hand and then drops them when he tries to climb the gate.

Today, though, he decided to eat the green tomato. Notice how he looks straight at me, his eyes telling me, "Ha, ha, Mom. I'm eating your green tomato." 

The only problem is that he doesn't really like it. I knew this, he's tried a few green tomatoes over the last couple of weeks. Apparently Desert Boy has trouble remembering, though.

He takes the tomato out of his mouth and flicks it to the ground. Good-bye tomato. Tomorrow he'll be back to pick another.

Desert Boy Plays with a Ball

Desert Boy saw some balls the other day and just had to go down and play.

The basketball seems kind of big for him, and he doesn't look too sure about it.

That's not an expression of fun, and he doesn't quite get the dribbling concept. Maybe he isn't going to turn out to be a star basketball player. 

Maybe he will be a bowler, letting the ball roll away from him.

Or perhaps he will be a star soccer player. It's good to see him explore all his options.

Desert Boy Walks in the Woods

I decided that it was time for Desert Boy to hike an entire trail, so we went to a half-mile long nature trail with an easy surface for him to walk on. He was excited to walk, and started out jauntily. He didn't want to hold my hand or be too close to me, he just wanted to walk.

Except that didn't last long. After a couple dozen steps, Desert Boy was ready to explore what was off the trail, especially if it involved water. He doesn't have much fear, or much common sense, so he will go off in a flash. 

Fortunately I was able to entice him to come back to the trail. And then he made a great find--a boulder next to the trail with a pool of water still on top of it. He immediately put his hand in it, even though his hand was already cold and the water was colder.

He splashed more vigorously, even getting his face wet. Mama made sure to be far enough away to escape the flying water. 

Apparently just splashing wasn't good enough, because in about a nanosecond Desert Boy was up on top of the boulder. I was telling him not to crawl in it and not to slurp it up. Yes, I have to tell him these things because they are favorite activities when water is around.

This time Desert Boy just wanted to do a little dance in the puddle. I figured it might help clean off the mud from yesterday when he did a little dance in a mud puddle.

And then it was time to go to the edge of the boulder and contemplate jumping. Except Desert Boy doesn't know how to jump, he just kind of leans forward and hopes you will catch him. Sometimes his timing is a little off and he goes splat. Still, the next time he will do the same thing, so I don't think he's gotten any sense knocked into him yet. Or perhaps he is just an eternal optimist. After getting off the boulder, it was time to move down the trail.

This twisted aspen made for a great game of peek-a-boo. It wasn't far then until we reached the stroller, completing Desert Boy's first hike that he did by himself. 

Desert Boy Throws Rocks

When we see water in the desert, it's hard to pass it up. Desert Boy, Henry, and I were heading out for a hike and somehow ended up on a little detour to this lake by the side of the road. During part of the year, it's a reservoir with a dam holding the water back. This time of year, the water level is down so much that the water doesn't even touch the dam, so it's a lake with big beaches full of cockleburs.

Henry, a labrador retriever, absolutely loves the water and didn't hesitate at all getting in the water.

Desert Boy, a fearless toddler, decided to follow Henry. 

Mom said, "No, you already got your other pair of shoes wet this morning and you don't have any more. Stay out of the water." 

What a mean mom.

Desert Boy keeps on heading down the rocky shoreline to the water's edge.

Before he gets to the water, he realizes that these rocks would be really good for throwing.

The best place to throw rocks is into the water. Sometimes the water and mud even splash so he can get wet without getting into the water. He's already figured out how to technically obey his mother but still get what he wants!

One rock is too big and as he pulls his arm back to throw it, he loses his balance and sits down.

He doesn't let that stop him for long, but keeps on throwing more rocks.

Some folks in an inflatable canoe decide to check out the fun. The lake is so shallow Henry can nearly run right out to them. Do you like the mountains in the background? They created a bit of their own weather, and those thunderheads you see building even produced a little rain a few hours later. Desert Boy and Henry had another chance to get wet, so it was a good day.