You'll have to forgive me....

I can't help it. I find these pictures. And I post them. Because I love them. The pictures that is.

I'm married. I'm getting old. But I am far from dead!

What can I say, I have no excuse... Carlene, Tina, I know you know what I'm talkin' about!

Wow! I got an award!

My very first. And it just happens to be from the guy that built my blog. I think I had an inside advantage, but I'll take it anyways! Thanks Mike. Now to figure out who to send this too.... hmmmm...


I love that you gave the reasons you gave the award to everyone. I'll try!

Nicole - because you are so funny and full of life!
Sheri - because I love every project you bring in the store!
Tina - because I can live vicariously through you and roar down the road on a motorcycle!
Jennifer - because damn it...I'm gonna e-mail you and tell you that you got this award and you are going to do something about it! Damn it!
Carlene - because you're my girl! I love your spirit!
Kim - because your photographs are so calming and inspiring!
Sherry - because you get it! We have like minds and well, that's sort of scary!

I love all of these blogs and all of these people. Isn't the blogging world the best? I'm so happy to be here!

Nothing New...

It poured last night. The thunder and lightening were spectacular. But at 3:00 a.m. that's not what I was calling it. And...we leaked. The AC company was even out earlier in the day and "supposedly" fixed it. NOT! Funny though, they called The Peddler today to see if it leaked. At least they're trainable. So, finally The Peddler went up on the roof (like he does everyone else's) and fixed it himself. Why oh why didn't he do that in the first place? Men...go figure! He also fixed two other roofs today. He can be very handy at times!

So tomorrow is our 10 year anniversary. 10 years! And for a present, I'll settle for a big storm tonight and no leaky roof! I'm not asking for too much am I?

Wow!!!

Here's a change...it's pouring and we're leaking. This makes me so happy! There is one Air Conditioning Co. (DAL Air Conditioning) that is going down tomorrow.

Waiting for rain...It started like this...


And turned into this...

And we got nothing. I need it to rain. I want my drywall finished. It won't be finished until it rains and we know that the leak is fixed! So what has The Peddler been up to? Look here. At least someone's house is getting finished. (oh, I hope he doesn't read this).

Here's a crappy picture, but one very happy dog. T-bones were on sale! That means a great dinner for us and a real treat for the dogs. Abi is outside and the old man gets to stay inside to eat his treat! This old man might not have very many sweet treat days left, but he's loving this one!

How did this little cowpoke....

Go from this sweet baby


To this grown up little man heading off to his first day of school?

Honestly, where does the time go?
Waving good-bye to mom and little brother.
(excuse me, I think I'm tearing up).

I know Mom cried but she didn't let her big boy see her. And, unfortunately because of Army commitments in another state, Dad didn't get to be here for this either.
That's it for tonight, I need to go sniffle for awhile. I miss those guys so much.

Don't you just love this!


Sweet Kim from Sweet Sage Vintage saw this sign in Sheridan Wyoming and posted it for me! I'm just hoping it came home with her. I would love to buy it before it goes into her booth at Chez Antiques. Be sure you check out her blog. She takes amazing photos and travels to the most beautiful parts of this country! Thanks Kim, you made me smile!

Can't sleep...

So much going through my mind right now. This tragic happening. How do you not let this effect you when you don't even know these people? You feel like you know them because you follow their blog. You do know them, because you read their blog. Praying for them and their families.

So, what do you do when you can't sleep? You blog! So here's the story of the Helicopter ride.

These aren't my pictures, but you get the idea. They never told us what we were doing. Just be up at the crack of dawn and be in front of the hotel. That's right, they didn't put us up in Motel 6. Nothing but the best for The Peddler! There was a car waiting for us. We all piled in and we ended up at the airport. My first thought was cool, we're meeting some other lucky people that get to come to Vegas and go to another Rodeo. WRONG...We were getting in a helicopter and flying to the BOTTOM of the Grand Canyon. Totally not my thing. Planes require a certain little pill that helps me get from point A to point B. A helicopter, no little pill, NO WAY. By the way, it took several little pills to get me to Paris. That's a long flight! Anyway, saying no was totally unacceptable. We were with the V.P. and there were certain things you just don't do, like say NO. I sucked it up so hard I think I gave myself a wedgie...is that possible? I started out in the back of the helicopter. As we left Vegas it was really quite boring. You all wear headsets and chit chat back and forth. It's very flat and all desert. Along the way the pilot has everyone switch seats so that you all get a chance to sit in the front. I stayed in the back for as long as I could.
It's amazing how they choreograph this whole production. Just when you get to the edge of the canyon they start playing Star Wars music and the helicopter just kind of hovers at the edge. When the music reaches the DA DA, DA DA Dun part you drop right into the canyon. Really impressive. (Mike can you insert music here?)

Anyway, they fly you around, land at the bottom, and lunch is brought to you by the Indian tribe. And it was cccccccold! So, you eat lunch, take pictures and climb back in the helicopter. I was the only one who hadn't sat in the front, so guess what, it was my turn. I thought, nothing to it, we're going back. Oh, think again! I climbed right in, right beside Fabio. Who, by the way, looked nothing like the Romance Novel Fabio. As we were leaving the canyon there were two, I'm going to call them fingers, fingers of rocks sticking straight up. Fabio asked me if I thought we could fly in between them. There was no way (and that's putting it nicely). Well, he did it. Did you know that a helicopter is skinnier going sideways instead of up and down! Yep, he tipped that baby on it's side and flew right through those rocks. Where are my pills? Better yet, I want my blankie. my bed, my safety net.

After that little shocker we flew around Vegas, buzzed the roller coaster that's at the top of hmmm, don't know the name of that hotel, but we buzzed it. We landed, I kissed the ground, we got in a car and headed back to the hotel. Thank God for Vegas being a 24 hour party. Can you say give me a drink at 10:00 A.M.? Rick was asked by theV.P. to join him (without me) in the other bar. After a little while I started to wonder what was going on so I headed down to THAT bar. There was The Peddler sitting at the table with his head down on the table. It was either some very good drinks early in the day, or......what....

We have to move to Arizona or...no job...no perks...no income...what, no helicopter rides with Fabio.

Another suck it up moment. Arizona here we come!

I've been tagged!

I've never done this before so this is for you Lindsey! Congratulations on making the design team!

A- Attached or Single: Attached
B - Best Friends: The Peddler and my daughter Cristine
C - Cake or Pie: Boysenberry Pie
D- Day of choice: None, I work 7 days a week
E - Essential Item: Computer, best form of communication by far
F - Favorite Color: Green
G - Gummy Bears or Worms: Neither
H- Homemade: Art
I - Indulgence(s): A nice glass of wine
J - January or July: January - nice weather
K - Kids: Cristine (27) Catie (20)
L - Life is incomplete without: My grandkids
M - Marriage Date: August 28th, 1998. 10 year anniversary coming up!
N - Number of Siblings: 1
O - Oranges or Apples: Apples
P - Phobias or Fears: Black cats, always have been
Q - Quotes: What goes around comes around and treat people the way you want to be treated.
R- Radio station in your car right now: KNIX Country baby!
S - Season: Spring
T - Tag Three Friends: Jennifer - My Views, Sherry - The World Through My Eyes, and Sheri's - Little Black Scrap Cat
U- Unknown fact about me: I was a dental assistant in Palm Springs and got to work on famous people like Bob Hope, Frank Sinatra, Barry Manilow (yuck), Robert Wagner, William Devane and so on.
V - Very favorite store: Mystic Paper, Target
W - Worst habit: I let my feelings get hurt way to easy
X - X-ray or Ultrasound: Ultrasound
Y - Your favorite food: Crab Legs
Z - Zodiac:Libra - always trying to balance everything

This is a post that I just can't resist!

To get it you'll have to read the comments on my last post and if you did read them you're probably already laughing! Jennifer, there is absolutely nothing wrong with a little "cowboy seat". This one is compliments of Pioneer Woman . Can I just say "my oh my". She's my hero!

You guys all know how much I love a good rodeo...

Well this is the biggest Rodeo ever and I got to go! This is the opening ceremonies for National Finals Rodeo in Las Vegas. We got to go because of The Peddlers job. He was a big shot. And there were perks. Lots of perks...like this and Paris! So The Peddler asked me if I was having a good time. What! My response was "the only thing that could make this night any better would be if George Strait walked in.

And The Peddler said "you mean that guy?" I just about fell over. I didn't know what to watch the Rodeo or George Strait. Now, I've seen him in concert many, many (probably too many times) but never that close. We were breathing the same yummy, horse, air. If I knew how to do those fancy arrows I would point out who he is. Better yet...

How about a close-up!

Yep! I was that close and I didn't pass out. I didn't even bug him for an autograph. He was there to watch his horse compete. I think it was in steer wrestling. But really, who cares. He. Was. There. This was also the trip where we found out we had to move to Arizona. It involved a helicopter, a pilot named Fabio, and lunch at the bottom of the Grand Canyon. But that's another story!

It's time for another story...

I don't think I ever explained the cowgirl part of the blog name. I ran across these pictures the other day. Boy, does this bring back memories! This is me on my beloved horse. I called her Bee, but her registered name is Glory Be Echols. Obviously this was a long, long time ago. I think I was around 22 years old, maybe. I spent every free minute I had at the stables with this horse. This was an early, foggy morning in Orange County.

This is the baby horse that Bee had. She was 18 years old and this was her first foal. This was taken just after he was born. I stayed at the barn all night waiting for her to have him and wouldn't you know she went and foaled the second I left. I was gone for maybe one hour and when I got back he was up walking, nursing, and acting well, like a horse. Bee was just fine. I was worried because of her age but she had a beautiful healthy colt.

This is Jack a year later. He was the most beautiful horse. I was showing him that day and he took a first in halter!

And this is me and The Peddler many, many (did I say many?) years later in Tucson.
So there you have it. I'm a cowgirl at heart and always will be!

Guess what's happening here...

Casa Johnson is doing the back stroke once again! It's hard to see all of the water dripping into the house, but trust me, it's flowing!

Me thinks a certain Air Conditioning company is going to get a phone call tomorrow. The Peddler is (well, I'll keep this nice) mad. You don't want to see The Peddler mad. Trust me, I KNOW.
It is literally pouring out there. I tried to get some decent pics of the rain and lightening but I'm no photographer. If it keeps up we'll be doing the back stroke tomorrow. And, to make matters even worse, the City Of Mesa has a worker out there irrigating. That's right the water is flowing on Robson St. and Mesa is irrigating. They're brilliant aren't they?

The Peddler has been very busy...

I came home to this hanging up in our bedroom. He's just loving those ceiling tins! There are teacup saucers under the candles that he drilled holes in and mounted on the candle holders. Very imaginative! Good job.


So, actually this is what I saw when I got home. Hmmmmm!

Oh, that's right I'm posting! The Peddler is putting this on e-bay. It's not there yet, but it will be. Check out his store. He's got alot of "stuff" on there. And don't judge him, he can't spell and I wasn't home to help. Yes, I know there's spellcheck but he can even outsmart that!

How did your morning start?

Don't you love it when the phone rings at 6:00 A.M. It just can't be good and with having a son still in Iraq it really startles you out of a sound sleep. Fortunately it wasn't Iraq. It was however, the alarm company that monitors Mystic Paper. Out of bed, into clothes and out the door. When we got there we found nothing. Doors locked and nothing disturbed. We went inside and checked the alarm. The motion detector had been tripped but there was absolutely nothing around it. I'm thinking a moth. Yea, that's it, a moth. Back in the truck for a quick drive to the back of the building to find a police officer writing up his report. He didn't find anything either, but he did tell us that we don't have a permit for the alarm so we are being fined $50! Just another happy wake up call.


We left and Rick decided he needed a jolt of coffee, but what's open in downtown Mesa at that time of the morning? Well, let me tell you. Inside The Bungalow is open and brewing up some of the best coffee ever. And they provide entertainment! Betty and Carrie are absolutely hysterical. We spent the next 30 minutes catching up on all of the goings on in our little downtown. I haven't had a good laugh like that in awhile. So, if you come to our little downtown and need some healthy nourishment, a good cup of coffee (and they do have the fancy stuff. Not being a coffee drinker I don't know the names.) and a good laugh stop by and see them! It made my morning alot better!


Have a great day!

I was almost right...

I picked the two of them from the first show. I really thought Gabe was going to win (I still think he should have) but, Melissa won and I'm O.K. with that. Did you see her five boys and her husband! Too cute. But seriously, Gabe has that pure, strong, country voice that should have won. And, I am not opinionated at all!

Season Finale...Nashville Star

This is it, the last night! I wonder if I picked the winner? Remember, from the beginning I said either Melissa or Gabe. Their both in the finale. I have voted for Gabe all along and I hope he wins, but who knows. Can't wait to watch!

Maverick update...

Well, he's hanging in there. Seemed much better today. So it's a day to day process. I just hate the weekends. If you need a vet it's a trip to the emergency vet not the vet that we use and love. Oh well, what will be, will be, right?

On a lighter note we have an exciting weekend planned for Mystic Paper. The fun is all starting right at 10:00 A.M. with a completely full class taught by Mike Putman. We expect to see lots of new faces with it being the start of Art Unraveled. This event brings people from all over the world to Phoenix to take classes from amazing artists. I've never been, but I plan on attending their shopping extravaganza next Saturday. So, here's to an action packed weekend. Hope to see all of you!