Schindler's Plaque

Regensberg

Salzburg

Ludwig's Castle

Azaleas

* Enjoying this beauty while I can... I've got a feeling my house sitter will murder it while I'm gone. :)

Rosebud

Giddyup at White Sands National Monument

Road Trippin' to New Mexico

Twister @ 4 Corners National Monument. Hands and feet on Utah, Colorado, Arizona & New Mexico!

I am blessed to have a super close relationship with my daughter and her hubs. He's a big horse lover (as am I,) so we road tripped to New Mexico, for my son-in-law's birthday.

Killing time at all kinds of dorky tourist traps such as 4 Corners National Monument (above)

and the world's largest Pistachio (below.)

This is [allegedly] the largest Pistachio in the world. :-)

We stayed at Dos Casitas in Socorro, NM. What a terrific little B&B! If you find yourself in that neck of the woods, definitely give Judy a call. And, tell her I sent you!

PLUS! We found the most remarkable terrain at White Sands National Monument.

The whole purpose of heading down there was to do some serious horseback riding! So, check out the next post for the photos of us riding up a storm on the White Sands!

Easter Celebrations

BFFs

 

Caballos del Sol

 

The Winter That Wasn't

Did you know? Those cute little Primrose plants sold in supermarkets, this time of year, are actually zone 3 perennials? Yeppers. Oftentimes the first little flowers to grace my garden, come springtime. (Keep them alive, indoors, by keeping them very cold. Sunny windows are too hot.)

It's been a busy winter! Or, should I say the longest 'autumn' on record?

Up here, on top the mountain, in ski country, we typically batten down the hatches mid-November. In preparation for a long, quiet winter reading great books, in front of a crackling fire.

John's Trail Ride Selfie :) Riding horses, in March, in a ski resort, in t-shirts!

But, not this year.

I suppose, it depends on who you talk to... Either we're all gonna die from global warming. Or, we've seen these weather patterns before; we'll see them again, and ya'll should stop frettin' so much.

Crocus, Hyacinth and Daffodils are preparing to bloom ~ months early. 

I don't buy into that claim that this is nothing. If it was a one year oddity, perhaps. But, this seems to be a depressing 'something' that's gone on for too long and it's not gonna get better anytime soon.

It's certainly changed my game plan for seed starting.

I wanted to try some exotics this year, but decided to be all practical and stuff. I started the most waterwise cuties I could find:

1. Globe Mallow
2. Blanket Flowers
3. Paprika Yarrow
4. False Indigo
5. Wild 4 O'clocks
6. Prairie Zinnias

 * Numbers 1-3 are left column, top to bottom. 4-6 are right column.
** Make sure you plant them in a lifelong spot - they put down deep roots, to find their own water. After the first two years, they'll bloom beautifully without any help from a sprinkler.

Why? Because I'm preparing for the inevitable letter from the county putting us on a super strict water conservation program, when the real summer really does arrive.

I guess the only bright side to this non-winter is how it's put us ahead of the game, for the first time ever. We used to have to head south early, each year, just to find a warm enough spot to give our horses a bath. Can't show up on a trail ride, without a pretty horse! :) But, not this year.

In 5 short days.... Tick... Tock...

... We're off on our first horsie vacation of the season. The Caballos del Sol benefit trail ride. Where 160 horse lovers converge on Sedona, Arizona for 5 days of sun & fun.

Not that we need any more sun, or dry weather. But, I'm certainly up for more fun! Can't. Hardly. Wait...

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Weekend DIY

Wainscoting to the rescue! :)

Visitor...

Scruffy young moose ~ preparing to eat my neighbor's Aspen tree. :)

Mr. B.

Buddy is loving his new bed. Lucky for me, he can't read. :-)