Okay, you're gonna have to wait for the photos...

'Cause I've spent hours on this darned computer already, and I need a break! But, I wanted to pop in and say "Hi!" and let you know what we've been up to...I'll add photos as I find the time...

Friday afternoon my parents came up for a quick visit. They brought Amato's Italian sandwiches with them - the BEST!! My oldest and I were thrilled!! The youngest ate his usual PBJ. ;-) He finally had an opportunity to show Grammie & Grampa how well he is doing riding Kitch, even trotting and going over obstacles. They were duly impressed and he was so proud to show off his skills.

That evening we headed over to Leeds for the Ellis River Riders Game Show that was hosted by my team penning club at our arena. It was a wicked lot of fun!! I really wished that I was riding, but Tillie just isn't there yet and of course, Kitch, is now my son's horse, so I didn't want to get him all fired up by racing him.

Saturday was our annual family reunion at my aunt and uncle's house. There was a good turnout and we had a great time! The weather was beautiful and the kids had a ball playing in the fields. We brought airplanes as usual. One of them flew way up over the trees and 2 fields over!! We thought it was a goner, but somehow Dad managed to find it when we walked over there to the family cemetery. We sure missed our great-aunt, who wasn't well enough to make the trip up here, and our great-uncle, who passed away recently, but it was a good time, nonetheless.

On Sunday we went back over to Leeds to watch some penning and compete in the sorting. Tillie was in a bad mood. I should have known that when I went to get her from the pasture and Lily was sporting a perfect hoof print on her ribcage! When I started riding her, she just seemed jumpy and wasn't really listening to me. Because of that, I did an extra long warm-up with lots and lots of trotting. Finally, I asked for a lope - and got a BUCK! Bigger than usual, huge leaps and kicks, head down and 'let's get you off', type bucking!! I got her stopped, collected her, trotted for a bit (Disturbing some poor guy who was trying to take a leak out behind the tractor!) and asked again - same thing, only with a bit more determination behind it this time!! Okay then. Now what? We were giving the guys quite a rodeo show and I wasn't too happy about it. We kept at it 'til I finally got a short, but reasonably smooth lope out of her, then took a break.

When the Open class broke for lunch, I was the only one in the arena warming up, which I figured was good because I didn't have to worry about watching out for any other riders, but bad because I was in the spotlight. Nothing to worry about though. Other than being chargy and trying to grab the bit, she didn't buck, so I loped her a lot, in the hopes of getting rid of some of her energy.

Finally, the Novice Sorting Class started and I figured we were going to do great since we did so well last time. Riiight!! We did way more bucking than we did sorting, but somehow we still managed to get 4 cows out and not kill the other girl that was riding with us. I felt so bad to have such an awful ride - she may never want to ride with me again. I came out of that pen really upset and apologizing all over the place - to her and also to all the other people that had signed up to ride with me. Fortunately, they're good sports and supportive. The next girl that I had scheduled to ride with, leaned down and whispered in Tillie's ear for a minute or two and told me that it wouldn't happen again....

And it didn't! We had a good ride, but unfortunately really tough cows, so we didn't make the callbacks. I did another ride with a girl that was also having horse issues, but we worked together and she was very happy with his performance on that run, so she thanked me for helping to boost her confidence. I'm still not sure I deserved that, but it felt good! And Tillie behaved even better. Our last ride was with the girl that we did so well with at the last sorting, and we did great again!! We made the callbacks and this time we had a great run in the callbacks and ended the day in 6th place!! Yippee!! That wasn't 'in the money', but it's an improvement for us, so I am thrilled.

By the end of the day, Dad and the boys were impatient to get home, and I was starving and exhausted, but Tillie wasn't quite done yet. After all, she had decided that she was in heat and that meant being as difficult as possible. She refused to get into the trailer...and everyone had to drive past us on their way out...so it was beyond embarrassing...especially since I find that harder to deal with than the bucking because I have no tricks up my sleeve to make her go in...it was awful!! Finally, instead of making jokes at our expense like everyone else, someone actually stopped to help, and with grain as an enticement (I didn't have any with me! I won't make that mistake again!) she got onto the trailer. ARGHHH!! (And, I know, none of them was really making fun of me, 'cause they've all 'been there, done that', but me with my inferiority complex found it hard to take. Oh well.)

Today was spent at the library, uploading all the horsey photos that I took this weekend. (http://www.morningcallranch.com/) The boys read lots of books during that time and I actually had to drag them out of there. They do love to read, just like their Mom. We enjoyed ice cream cones on the way home, which was a nice treat!

2 lost teeth...although not really lost!

Dad bought the boys paddles at Wal-mart. He helped them sand off all the rough spots and then they used a black permanent marker to draw on their chosen design and covered them with more poly. Too cute!!

Yesterday afternoon, our youngest had an appt with the dentist for a filling. While his mouth was numb, we asked the dentist to please pull the 2 bottom front teeth for him. They had been hanging on by a thread for a month or more, and just wouldn't come out! And they made it painful for him to bite into his food. No problem, out they came! Our son was so proud of himself. He was very brave!!

Biking, birthday, cars, cars and more cars...

Saturday was the 30th annual Paris Hill Founders' Day. Each year, on this one day, Bob Bahre opens his garages and displays his antique car collection. It's AMAZING!! There are so many one of a kinds, it's incredible. They are all either painstakingly restored to perfection, or original, cracked leather and all! It's a point of pride with the team that almost all of the cars are in working order and actually get driven occasionally. They would consider it a real shame for any of them to be in a museum collecting dust. They have numerous awards for many of their cars and this is truly considered a world class collection. He also has a handful of carriages on display, including the one that was used during the filming of Gone with the Wind! His collection of Packards is the finest in the world - he owns one of each model. He also owns one of each of the Mercedes Benz SL line...

Dad's parents met us there, enjoyed the cars with us, and then accompanied us on a bike trip. We drove to The Storekeeper's, in Hebron, and headed North to Buckfield on the old railroad bed trail. We encountered something that I hadn't considered - sandy terrain. It was definitely not a fun ride - way too much work!! We only made it 2 miles before we had to give up and turn around. Dad called and ordered us pizzas, so they were waiting for us when we got back to the store. That was a great reward! We shared a Greek Pizza, which was delicious, and the boys shared a Hawaiian Pizza with their grandparents.

Yesterday we went to my nephew's 10th birthday party. Where do the years go????

It was a fun gathering, as usual. We had his favorite - chicken patty sandwiches, french fries, chips, potato salad, an amazing sword cake and ice cream. Yummy!

Natanis Point Campground

Above is a slideshow of my favorite photos from our camping trip this past weekend. It was so hard to choose!!

Why didn't I keep a journal during the trip? I took a notebook, but I just never stopped long enough to write in it! Now, I'm going to try to remember, using my photos as a helpful guide, all of our adventures...

We left home at around 11:30 on Saturday morning, with a truck full of gear, topped off by a borrowed canoe. (17 foot - Old Town Tripper) We needed to stop in at the post office to ask them to hold our mail, so Dad decided to drive North on Route 26 until we reached Route 232 in Rumford Point, at which point we turned right onto Route 2 East. We continued on Route 2, through some road construction, until we reached Route 27 North in Farmington, and then we were on the road to our destination! We stopped for lunch at McDonald's in Rumford Center, and wondered where everyone else was and whether we would see any of them on our journey.

We did! In Industry we saw my parents at a gas station and pulled in to jokingly ask them, “Where are you going?” We continued the trip together and arrived at Natanis Point Campground in Chain of Ponds Township, around 3 pm.

Our campsites turned out to be even more beautiful than we had expected! We were surrounded by water, which was perfect for the kids - they could fish and swim to their hearts' content. And the bigger kids could canoe and fish as much as they wanted to as well! Because of the proximity of our sites, the kids could run between them for visiting and yet we were a bit apart from the rest of the campground, so we didn't need to worry too much about being too rowdy - a good thing with this rowdy crew! And there were plenty of roads to ride our bikes on - up to the bathhouse, down to the store, or around the loop to check out the other campsites for future reference.

The weather was good, although really windy at times. But, if you weren’t comfortable with the temperature or conditions on one site, you could always go to a different one. Because of the way the sites are arranged between the ponds and on a rise, they each varied greatly – it was kinda weird. Things were a bit damp on Sunday, but the only heavy rain was during the night, so we never got particularly wet, except for when we were swimming, of course…

That evening, after getting camp set up, we all traipsed over to Grammie & Grampa's camp for steak grilled over the campfire, corn on the cob, baked potato and biscuits! Does it get any better than that? Everyone was stuffed at that point, so we ambled off for some more fishing and those of us that were renting canoes walked down to the store to get them and paddle them back. Then, we moseyed back for Dad's birthday cake, Chocolate Marble Bread with Ganache, and ice cream. When it came time to sing "Happy Birthday", it was just as well that there weren't any other campers nearby! ;-)

Sunday morning we got up bright & early - around 5 am! We hadn't gotten a very good night's sleep - the wind had picked up and the roaring was like a freight train coming through camp! Fortunately, everything was adequately tied down, so nothing had blown away during the night. Dad got the coffee going and I started the Sourdough English Muffins. A couple of hours later I was frying bacon and eggs to put on those freshly cooked muffins!

The boys spent that morning fishing and playing in the water while Dad and I battened down the hatches. We were not prepared for rain, and it sure looked like that was what was coming. We borrowed a gazebo and more tarps from my parents and constructed a much better shelter. All the while, dough was rising for our bread for lunch. About 10 am Dad started charcoal to heat the Dutch oven and at 11 we put the bread in it to cook. The first loaf was ready in time for lunch - I made tuna to put between slices of fresh bread. Unfortunately, Dad had trouble getting the oven hot enough for the second loaf, but that worked out in the end, as you will see.

Sunday afternoon we took a bike ride around the campground and found our way to the Beaver Bog Trail. That was really cool and looked like a great place to watch for moose. Daisy thought it looked like a great place to swim, preferably after knocking Grampa into the drink! Luckily, Grampa is steady on his feet and stayed dry!! After hiking back up out of there, we found the trail to the beach on the other side of Natanis Pond. It was a really steep incline, but we decided to go down it anyway, not releasing Daisy & Duke until after the coast was clear. Boy, didn't those dogs have fun playing in the water! They had us rolling with laughter at their antics!!

That evening, it was my sister & her husband's turn to make supper - Barbequed Chicken, Corn on the Cob, Pasta Salad, Biscuits and chunks of Sourdough Bread that had finally finished cooking. YUMMY!! Again, everyone was too full to think about dessert yet, so Dad & I went off to the showers. When we returned we roasted marshmallows for S'mores...

We turned in early and hoped for a good night's sleep. However, Daisy got very sick during the night. Several times Dad had to get up and let her out of her crate and out of the tent. It was awful and we were extremely worried about her, especially when she wasn't better in the morning. She was a very sick puppy!! Finally, she was able to keep down a Tums, some steak and carrots. We also switched her water to bottled water, thinking that perhaps it was because they recommend boiling the water from the campsite, and yet she was drinking it straight from the tap. We also wondered if there was something wrong with her food, and switched her to Duke's food. I guess we'll never know for sure what made her sick.

Monday morning Dad cooked his sausage and egg bake in the Dutch oven, and we fried up some brook trout that Grampa had caught at home. We slathered the biscuits and English muffins with butter & jelly and finished them up. After breakfast I started more bread for lunch, but this time we were able to cook both loaves at once so that we would already have bread for Tuesday's lunch as well.

Later on that morning, everyone, including Daisy & Duke, got into their canoes with fishing gear and we paddled from Round Pond over to Natanis Pond to spend the morning catching Yellow Perch. Not particularly appetizing fish, but it was a whole lot of fun anyway! Daisy did great in the canoe, probably because she still wasn't feeling well. She sure thought it was some exciting when Dad caught a fish, and almost leapt into the pond after it when he tossed it back in - YIKES!!

Back at camp, we finished up the tuna salad for our sandwiches. Naptime! A pair of juvenile Northern Flickers came through camp, so I was sure to photograph them - even crawling so close to them that when something spooked one of them, he hit my head during his escape! It was amazing!! The other critters around camp were a chipmunk, whose hole was located right under one of our hammocks, and a red squirrel. They sure kept Daisy busy trying to catch them!

Most of Monday afternoon was spent playing/fishing on the beach and in Natanis Pond. The kiddos discovered that over by the bridge it was sandier and no more than chest deep for several hundred yards out into the pond - wicked cool as far as they were concerned!! Dad & Uncle J took their fishing poles out and stood in the shallow water while casting out into the deep part where the bottom of the pond drops off. Supper that evening was at my brother & sister-in-law's camp - Chicken & Dumplings, homemade bread, and Cherry Pies, roasted over the fire, for dessert.

Afterwards, we all piled back into the canoes for a paddle across Round Pond and up the river that runs north out of it. We were hoping to see moose, but we only heard one blowing at us, although even that was pretty cool. We did see a beaver, and boy hasn't he been busy out there! It was a perfect evening to paddle, the sunset was incredible and the moon was full. It was beautiful!! We returned to camp by following the beacon that Grampa set up for us - I don't think they were worried yet, but it was getting pretty dark by the time we made it to shore. After the kiddos and grandparents went to bed, the 6 of us shared a bottle of wine and talked late into the night.

Tuesday morning, my brother and my sister's husband left camp around 4 in the morning to try their hand at fishing in that river we had found the previous day. Six+ hours later they returned, with a few trout, sore muscles and stories to tell of all the many portages they made and the exploring that they did!

Meanwhile, I made pancakes and bacon for breakfast, and Dad started the Bean Hole Beans. Then, we hit the beach again, much to the kids delight! At one point, I was heading back to camp to get something, when this car drove in. "Boy, don't those folks look familiar!" I thought to myself. Sure enough, it was my cousin and his wife! They own a camp up in that neck of the woods, and Grammie had told them that we would be camping there. They decided to take a drive over and visit with us. It was great to see them and we all sat around in lawn chairs, chatting, for a few hours. Well, all of us except my brother-in-law, who laid flat out on his back and snored! I guess that's what happens when you head out fishing so early!!

Lunch was chicken salad on my sourdough bread from the previous day. Then, we enjoyed another nap while the kids played. All 5 of them got along so well all weekend! They had a blast and can't wait to do it again!! Later on, my brother, Dad & I took the kids for a bike ride along the Around Pond Trail. The trail was great, although a bit challenging in a few places, and the views were incredible! We had thought it wasn't going to be very long, but it turned out to be a 10 mile loop back to camp!! It took us a couple of hours, but even my 5-year-old nephew did GREAT! We took plenty of breaks and had a wonderful time!! When we came to the road, we lined up, alternating adults and kids, told them to stay on their side of the white line and that whenever we hollered "Truck", they were to hit the ditch! Those trailer trucks do NOT slow down for anything! They are hauling goods into and out of Canada on that road and the faster they can do the trip, the more they can haul. By being careful, we were able to stay safe and that was by far the easiest part of the trip - good pavement and mostly downhill.

When we returned to camp, Dad & I finished cooking the Bean Hole Beans, I made Corn Sticks in the reflector oven, Devil's Food Cake in the Dutch oven, and the kids roasted hotdogs over the fire for all of us! Another scrumptious meal, if I do say so myself!! After which we went fishing at the brook we found during our bike ride and moose hunting, unsuccessfully, at the local DOT maintenance facility.

While we were putting the kids to bed, my brother suggested that we go "Hornpouting". Hornpout are also called Brown Bullheads - Adult bullheads are usually about 10 inches long and weigh less than one pound. You cast a baited hook on the bottom of the pond, which they have no trouble finding because night-time is their usual time to eat. It was a first for all of us except Dad, who had done it as a kid, and my brother-in-law, who had caught catfish down South, although hornpout are a bit different and much smaller. We tossed some of the leftover bbq chicken into the pond, which attracted the shiners & minnows, and then used worms on hooks to catch the hornpout! It was really fun, although it got really cold!! Supposedly they are good to eat, but we put the hornpout into a pail with water so that the kids could see them in the morning and then returned them to the pond. The kids were fascinated - boy, are they ugly fish!!

After all that cooking, Wednesday morning's breakfast was CEREAL! ;-) We spent the morning packing. When that was finished, Dad and I took our boys for another bike ride around the trail we had done the afternoon before - it only took us an hour! It was great, again! Then, while Dad loaded up the truck, the boys went swimming again. We gathered everyone in front of Natanis Pond for a group photo, got into our vehicles, took photos of the convoy and headed south. Lunch was at the Pines Market in Eustis, we stopped for a minute to see the bateau at the Dead River Historical Society and did some shopping at Nowetah's Museum and Indian Store in New Portland - that was really interesting, particularly her antique basket collection, which was right up my sister-in-law’s and my alley, since we’ve spent so much time weaving baskets together!

This really was the best trip – being out-of-doors, surrounded by my family & wildlife, with lots of fun activities, or the option to rest, and cooking/eating delicious food…in a word…AWESOME!!

Back from camping!!

Yesterday evening we returned home from a 5 day, 4 night camping trip with my family. It was the best camping trip ever! ( And I've taken some pretty good trips before!) Our 4 sites were all located right together, so the kids could just run all over the place. On either side of the sites were 2 ponds, so the canoeing, fishing and swimming were non-stop. We also bicycled on some fantastic trails and went moose-watching, unsuccessfully. (Although we did hear one blowing at us, which was pretty cool.) I'm still working on ALL the photos, but as soon as they're ready, I'll get them here for you to see, along with more details about our trip...

Team Penning Extravaganza!!

We had a great weekend!! After the Turner parade, we took the boys down to stay with my parents for Friday night 'til Saturday night, and then Dad's parents would have them on Sunday. They had fun - biking, fishing, and playing with all of their cousins.

Meanwhile, Dad & I spent the weekend at the OK Corral for the Team Penning Extravaganza. Tillie did GREAT!! We didn't win anything, and we only made the call-backs (top 10 after the first round) once, but that's because the competition was FIERCE! There were some of the top riders from Canada and New England there. Tillie and I didn't miss a single cut, we got our cow every time, and we didn't make any mistakes - I was just so proud of her. She remained calm and collected - except for one bucking episode - and yet we rode HARD and FAST!! We really pushed it and other riders noticed and commented on how much she had improved. Yee haa!!!!

The above pictures are from the team penning - see the ones where Tillie and I are sweeping the cows into the pen? Look at her ears pinned back as she chases them into the pen - she is determined that they will do what she wants them to do!

These pictures are from the 2-Man Ranch Sorting. The only run that we were disqualified on was our call-back run, which was extremely disappointing, but not our fault. I felt bad for the woman riding with us 'cause she knew that she blew it. I told her it was fine - we're there to have fun and I'm not going to worry about it. It could just as easily have been me! During our qualifying run in the first round, we sorted more cows than I ever have before - 8! And it was sooooo close to being 9 - I could hear Dad yelling at me to hurry as I was driving that cow out of the pen, but I just couldn't get him to move quickly enough to exit the gate before the time ran out. It was an awesome run - and so much fun!!

Look at how relaxed she is settling the herd...

Turner 4th of July Parade

I got to ride in a parade yesterday!! Ever since I was a little girl, the horses have always been my favorite entries in every parade. I've always hoped that someday that would be me. The team penning club was invited to ride in the Turner parade this year! I rode Kitch and it was really fun!! He was very nervous, unfortunately, the same as he was during the Wagon Train ride, but he did fine.

Once a year, a gentleman that lives in the center of town opens his trophy room to the public for a couple of hours. Dad & the boys were able to go in and it is amazing!! This guy has hunted all over the world and brought back his kills to be stuffed and displayed. The boys even got to have their picture taken with him. They were quite enthralled by all those critters. Even though it's too bad they're all dead, it gave them an indication of the size of all the animals that they have read about or seen on tv. Our youngest was particularly scared by how large the crocodile was. It sure made his hero, the late Steve Irwin, seem even more incredibly brave!! Hopefully next year I will be able to see them...