Feeding the Cousins' Animals

 My sister-in-law had told us what time she feeds the animals, so one afternoon the kids and I headed over, along with friends. When we got there, the kids took a peek in the horse trailer to see what was inside.

 Once the calves realized there was food, they were happy to come out. The kids got acquainted.

 Then Aunt Janille showed them how to feed.

 What a cool experience!

 Then it was time to play. You don't see merry-go-rounds like this one very often. I was delighted to watch the kids run around, and around, and around.

 They took a little break to feed the horses.

Soon the cousins got home from feeding their 4-H steers, and all the kids disappeared into the willows. The moms hung out in the grass and talked, enjoying the warm afternoon sun. It's wonderful to relax with the simple pleasures of life!

Desert Survivor's Get-Out-And-Camp Challenge

 I've mentioned before that I didn't camp much as a kid, just at Girl Scout Camp. But that was enough to entice me to camp more, and over the years I've spent many nights out on the ground. Last year I decided to set a little challenge for myself: Could the kids and I camp out ten nights? We didn't have any grand plan, but starting at spring break and running through the summer and into the autumn, we managed to camp out thirteen times. The kids absolutely loved it.

Desert Boy declared last week that we should do a Get-Out-And-Camp Challenge again, but this year up our nights to twelve.

Will you join us?

Choose how many nights you want to camp out this year, write it down or tell someone (a comment here or on Facebook is fine!), and then see if you can meet your goal.

 Last year we camped in all sorts of places, from structured campgrounds to campsites out in the boonies. We even slept in our backyard a couple nights, just because it's fun.

Why camp out?
Here are a few reasons.

1. Camping out gives you time to unwind. We live in such a hectic world, rushing from one thing to the next, that slowing down to listen to the birds sing in the morning or watching the stars move overhead can recharge our batteries.

2. Camping lets you concentrate on your relationships. Camp in a place without Internet or cell service, and you can stop texting and checking Facebook and Twitter and really focus on the people who are with you. Camping is a super way to deepen relationships.

3. Camping is cheap. Want to take a vacation but not spend much money? Camping can be the way to do it! Last fall we stayed a couple nights in Zion Canyon--right in the heart of the national park, with outstanding views. It was less than $20 a night, but oh, so beautiful. Many camping spots are a real deal--you get the fantastic location for just a few bucks.

 4. Camp food can be awesome. When do you eat a s'more? That's usually a treat reserved for camping! Camping often means special foods, whether simple or complicated. Dutch oven recipes, hot dogs roasting over a fire, or even ramen noodles all taste extra good when eaten outside.

5. Kids (and adults) learn how to deal with different situations. What's that strange noise outside the tent at night? What do you do during a huge downpour? What happens if the wind blows your tent over? Is it a good idea to play flashlight tag?


6. Camping is a time to learn more about the natural world around us. It really wasn't so long ago that we humans didn't have much shelter and camped all the time. There's something still imprinted in our DNA that calls us to live that way. Ever been in a group of people and suddenly there's a lull in all the conversations? Predator check. That's right, our DNA is imprinted to have us be quiet every once in awhile to become more aware of what's around us. 

So I hope you'll join us in the Get-Out-And-Camp Challenge! You decide how many nights you want to camp out (and it doesn't have to be in a tent--right under the stars or in an RV are totally fine!), and challenge yourself to do it. Happy camping!

It's the Last Day of Winter! So Here are Some Skiing Photos

Isn't it great that it's the last day of winter?! Actually, I like winter more and more as it provides a little more down time to relax and enjoy life. Nevertheless, I can't help but get excited as spring flowers emerge, migrating birds appear, and the weather warms.

Last weekend we went high up in the mountains to Eagle Point Resort to go skiing before all the snow melts. Desert Boy's friend Ava took a lesson with him, while we parents went off on our own to give our ski legs a test. Last winter I went skiing a lot, but this was the first time this winter, despite having bought some skis. It took me a run to start feeling comfortable, but soon it felt great and I was very happy with how I was doing. 

At the end of the day we went to spy on the kids. We had left them alone all day, as the instructors said they would do better if they weren't distracted by parents. 

 We followed them down on their last run, and they did quite well.

 Then ski school ended, and the kids were turned loose.

 We still had one hour to ski with them, and Desert Boy informed us he wanted to ski on the blue slopes (intermediate). I was hesitant, but he said that they had already skied on one. The instructor said they actually skied on two. So we went over and went on a run that had some little jumps. The kids weren't hesitant at all!

We had time for another run that had lots of rolling hills, and if you were going fast enough you caught some air. It was actually my favorite run of the day, and the kids also loved it. We would have kept going, but we ran out of time. What a fun way to spend the day! We're already looking forward to downhill skiing next winter.

A Sunday Ramble in the Burbank Hills

 A recent Sunday took us to a random road in the Burbank Hills, a set of hills that "only" gains about 2,700 feet elevation, topping out about 7,700 feet. Out here, that means the moniker of hills rather than mountains. (As a comparison, the tallest peak east of the Rocky Mountains in the U.S. is Harney Peak in South Dakota, at 7.242 feet.)

We drove until the road (a barely discernible two track, but one that had been already traveled this year) ended. Then we got out and hiked. The kids weren't super thrilled, but we promised them great views.

 When we reached the top of a ridge, we sure did get great views.

 The Burbank Hills aren't really known for any main attraction. They consist of limestones and dolomites, so the rain that falls on them seeps in and there aren't any streams or even any springs. In recent years, a number of roads have been designated as ATV trails (map here). With 98 miles of trails, it's a considerable network, but due to the remoteness and lack of a charismatic attraction, it is seldom visited.

It's nice to have places like that, where the plants and animals can be the dominant creatures. I was quite excited to see this early bloomer:

 Spiny phlox, Phlox hoodii

Then Desert Boy and I started finding some hints that these flowers hadn't been around all that long (at least geologically speaking).

 We found some fossils.

 The fossils were small, but good reminders that this area used to be part of a shallow sea.

 Desert Girl started enjoying the hike more and more. That's fairly common--we may have crabby kids at the beginning of a hike, but once something catches their attention, they forget about their previous attitude.

Then we reached something that made both kids very happy.

 A patch of snow!

 Our dog Henry really liked it too.

 Eating some snow made the kids so happy that even when Desert Boy fell and sprawled across some sagebrush, he smiled.

 The hillside had a number of stumps, and we found some burn signs on some of them. At one point a forest fire must have burned this section of Burbank Hills, but today, unless you know what to look for, you wouldn't know it.

We took a different way back to the truck and I was happy to find a mini-cave. No one wanted to pose for a photo except me. I guess it was time to go! There are still so many other places to explore in this one little mountain range. Hopefully we'll get back before too long.

A Little Greenery for St. Patrick's Day

 In honor of St. Patrick's Day and the traditional green worn on this day, here are two ways to add a little more greenery to your house. First, did you know you can grow your own pineapple? Simply slice off the top of a store-bought one and plant it. In about nine months to a year, it will look like the photo above. If you wait another year or two, you might actually get a fruit! Although we'd love to get a fruit, just the plant itself is quite beautiful. Pineapples are bromeliads and give us a flavor of a warmer climate. They don't need much water (about 20 inches a year), so my once a week watering schedule works quite well.

If you don't want to wait 2-3 years to get something edible from a plant, here's one that will work in less than a week:

Green onions! Green onions (also called scallions) are even more nutritious than regular onions, so we've been trying to eat them more. They also have the added benefit that if you put the roots in water, they resprout. This should work 4 or 5 times before the taste becomes too bland. Plus it keeps them from getting all slimy in the refrigerator, and they are right there on the kitchen window so we eat them more frequently.

Do you have favorite edible greenery in your house?